Without Wax
by loveyourbuddhist
Summary: Spanish sculptors often patched their flaws with cera-"wax." A statue that had no flaws and required no patching wax was hailed as a sculpture sin cera-"without wax." The phrase eventually came to mean anything honest or true. The English word "sincere"
1. Chapter 1

Word Count 6268

Chapter One Aggravation

It was a brisk early morning when Kagome arrived at work. She was only slightly behind schedule but she knew it would be okay. Kagome walked with a fast pace she'd left her jacket at home in her rush to be gone and was now regretting that fact. Out of habit Kagome glanced behind her and what she saw struck fear into her heart. This wasn't anything new to Kagome, and by the looks of it, it wasn't going away any time soon. It'd been a constant thing in Kagome's life for the past 3 months. She knew the girl who was following her, but didn't want anything to do with her, not that she had a choice. After what had happened between the two of them last summer, Kagome was scared at the thought of the girl even approaching her. It was almost like her own little curse. She searched the parking lot around her looking for an escape. Sighting a man nearby, she quickly thought up an idea for escape. She walked to him swiftly with a pure purpose at hand. As she caught up to him she threaded her arm through his and he glanced down at her in confusion. She tried to seem like this was a normal habit, for her pursuer's sake. She hoped there would be no confrontation now that she was not going to be caught alone. Would Kikyo question her while she was clearly in a group with another person? She surely hoped not.

"Just pretend you know me," Kagome spoke quickly and softly. She didn't know this man but she was hoping that little fact wouldn't matter to him. "I'm being followed and I need your help." Kagome whispered close to his ear. He kept walking but lifted his head and looked around them. He got a full view of the parking lot before she realized his intentions. "Don't do that!" He snapped his head around to glare at her.

"Excuse me but I don't think you should be yelling at the person who is saving your butt." His smug comment almost made her walk off in the opposite direction...almost. She hated relying on people. There were so many mendacious people in the world. She didn't think about it, he was after all only curious and had every right to be.

She decided help was a useless commodity anyway. Why bother trying to avoid Kikyo? "Well, pardon me; I just thought maybe you could help out a girl in need." She pushed her nose into the air, "No matter I think I can handle myself anyway." She made to leave, despite her need for help; she wouldn't be a burden on anyone. He grabbed her arm before she was out of reach.

"Now now," He tsked pulling her back to him, "there's no need to be too self-assured." He smirked at her appalled look. She found his over confidence annoying. She had to try really hard to resist the urge to slap the smug smirk from his face. "Who is it you're running from?"

She didn't answer right away—after all she didn't want to explain to a total stranger about her current situation—so he went on to guess. "An ex-boy friend?" His brilliant first guess was not even given a second thought. When she didn't reply or look his way he guessed again. "Or a crazy mother?" He thought for a short moment, then snapping his fingers suggested, "Surely not an ex-husband." He passed the thought by without a second glance, then trying to be funny offered, "Possibly an angry mob?" He looked around again, as if searching for an angry crowd with pitch forks and torches. "Nah, too quiet." he concluded, stuck with no answer from the girl next to him.

Kagome felt her cheeks heat up in anger. She hated the way he had of making her feel foolish. What was it with men and their arrogance? As if she wasn't already having a bad day. "Well aren't you a smart ass?!" It was more of a statement then a question, and Kagome really was not in the mood for his humor.

"Better a smart ass then a dumb ass!" He smiled and they stepped through the set of glass double doors and entered the building. "Where too miss?" His off-handed manner frustrated her further.

"Third floor," She replied looking behind her once more, Kikyo was gone, thank God. She felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Relief flowed through her and gave her the will to go on. "But I think I can take care of myself now." She moved away from him and shivered at the sudden cold, why was it they always cranked the ac in the spring? It was still much to cold for that.

"Are you sure?" He actually seemed concerned for a moment. Which couldn't possibly be true, he was after all only trying to get her number. She'd heard more than her fair share of pick up lines and she wasn't interested. She had nixed guys off her radar, at least until she found one that was worth the effort.

"I think I can handle her." Kagome nodded and was turning to leave when another statement pushed through the chilly air and hit her head on like a ten car pile up.

The man turned a shade of red and a perverse look washed over his face, "Surely not an ex-girlfriend?" His voice was low but the lobbyist nearby heard the comment. Kagome could tell by the way she gasped and giggled. Kagome took one step back appalled and then slapped him square across the cheek.

"How dare you!" She pointed her finger accusingly in his face, then turned on her heal and left him there stunned in place. That was how Inu Yasha met the girl of his dreams, but we'll get to that later on.

* * *

Kagome rushed up the stairs, angry and embarrassed, she never took the elevator, she was not fond the idea of an enclosed space. Her face was flushed from her anger more than her fast paced climb. When she pushed open the door to her lab room her coworker looked at her in shock. There was silence for a moment as Kagome stood in the doorway regaining her composure. She felt flustered and more than just a little annoyed.

"Are you okay?" Sango asked breaking the silence. She wore her white lab coat and goggles and was leaning over a specimen getting ready to test it for a genetic improvement. Her finger poised over the injector she watched and waited for Kagome to respond. She was probably expecting Kagome to give birth to a cow right there in front of her. Not that that was an unlikely paradox.

"No, I'm not," Kagome was upset and didn't know what to say. Brushing back a few stray strands of hair, she threw on her goggles, followed by her lab coat. Going over to the freezer she pulled out her samples for the day. She signed the clipboard and went to her seat. She got everything ready and then sat down with an indignant huff. They'd been testing DNA samples looking for a maturity gene for the past 3 weeks, since Kagome had arrived. Their testing was going nowhere, though they still had hope that something would surface soon.

"You wanna talk about it?" Sango's hands moved quickly one writing notes, the other placing the specimen under the scope to get a better look. Kagome pulled her clipboard out from under the lab table and started taking notes. She was quiet for a moment, not wanting to answer the question.

"No." Kagome replied when she knew that was all she really wanted to do at this point. Rant, get it off her chest and be done with it. She stayed silent however, and they worked quietly for a few long minutes. Sango was just going to mention a weird response she was getting from the test she was working on when Kagome started venting. "She's following me." And before Kagome even had to say anything more Sango guessed it.

"Kikyo?" Sango had heard the stories, but never actually asked Kagome about it, she didn't really need to know. It was none of her business anyhow. She wouldn't pry into the life of someone she hadn't known for more than a few short weeks.

"Yes," Kagome sighed heavily knowing she had to talk about it, even if she didn't tell her confidante the whole story, "I saw her this morning as I was getting out of my car." Kagome remembered the look in the girl's eyes as she made eye contact with Sango. "That's not even the worst of it." Kagome didn't stop, she couldn't, and besides, if she did she'd chicken out and not say a thing. "I panicked and used some random guy as a getaway." A frustrated look made Kagome's face scrunch up as she went on. "Well he started flirting with me so I got angry and he said I was a lesbian and I slapped him," Kagome knew she was leaving parts out, but it was her story and she'd tell it the way she wanted to, "and I'm pretty sure the lobby lady heard, and she hates me and she's so going to tell everyone I'm a lez and then I'm going to be the laughing stock of this whole company, and for the fourth time in the last 3 months I'm going to have to pack up and move, get a new job, and—"

"Kagome!" Sango stopped her coworker; now by her side she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Breathe!" she ordered.

Kagome put her clipboard down and dropped her head into her hands a tear rolling down her cheek. She felt stupid for crying but she was just so vulnerable lately, especially with everyone laughing at her and Kikyo trying to ruin her life. She heaved a big heavy sigh pulling in enough air to fill her lungs for a minute, and then with a whooshing noise quickly let it all out. "I guess I've made it easier for her this time." Kagome noted. "She won't have to do a damn thing."

"Kagome, stop it, I'll talk to Betty-what's-her-face and even threaten her if I have to," Sango smiled at her distraught coworker, and turned to go back to her seat. "No one will think you're a lez."

"I mine as well just pack and leave now." Kagome sighed in defeat, still going on about her bad day.

"No, you're staying here, I'm not going to lose you and have to work with that pervert again," Sango said referring to the lecherous co worker she'd had before Kagome had come with better qualifications. She'd told Kagome all about Miroku and his nasty habits. They'd laughed on his behalf for hours getting to know one another. "Besides there's no where else you could work like this and get paid as well as we do."

"I guess, but I'm leaving with the first rumor I hear." Kagome pulled her head up a look of determination set on her face. She wiped a fat tear off her cheek and got back to work.

"Alright, then you're gonna be here for a while" Sango smiled again at her friend, then got back to work herself. She had a time limit to move on to the next stage of her own research.

* * *

InuYasha rubbed his cheek and for the first time in his life understood what it felt like to be Miroku. He headed to the elevator and took it to the fifth floor. He'd been working with Miroku for only a few weeks, but he'd known the man back in college. He was a real womanizer. He would always come back to the dorm with a red cheek and a good story to tell. Most of which he laughed off and forgot about almost instantly. InuYasha chuckled; he hadn't meant anything by his comment and now felt remotely bad for saying it. He hadn't meant to make the girl angry. Though he had to admit, she looked cute when she blushed. Hopefully all would be well soon. He'd find a way to repay her for his stupidity.

He thought about finding out who she was, talking to her, maybe becoming her friend. Though he had a strong feeling that she'd never want to see him again, and that feeling was probably right. He went into his office and started going through paper work. He found three new reports about their new research projects and he looked them over. He wasn't sure how they were going to turn out; most of their research only pushed them in a new direction with a new hope. He doubted this would do anything different.

InuYasha pushed the reports aside and filed some of his own reports as well, most of which were for stocks. He took a call from Yoshimoto in Japan and he had two meetings. One with the Board of Directors, the other with some advertising companies he was hiring for their new business department. The whole time all he could think about was that girl. Which was funny since he wasn't sure why. There was just something about her that was compelling. He felt stupid and tried his hardest to put her from his mind, to no avail. His thoughts kept running back to her long dark hair, her deep gray eyes, the way her cheeks flared red at a moments notice. It was almost annoying how many details he had remembered without so much as a conscious thought. After his meetings he went out for lunch, the day had passed so fast already he was afraid he wasn't going to have time to call in a favor from his old friend.

He signed out at the lobby and pulled out his cell phone to call Miroku. They normally ate lunch at the cafe down the street but InuYasha was craving Italian.

"Hey buddy, guess what?" He smirked into the phone thinking of the girl he'd met this morning...again…no surprise there. Remembering the way her raven hair rustled in the wind and her gray eyes held so many expressions. He shook his head feeling silly for thinking of her in such a way. "I have a red cheek and a story to tell."

"Good for you, I knew you'd come to the dark side one day," Miroku chuckled jokingly. InuYasha could hear people in the background, most of which sounded female. He didn't ask though, he didn't really want to know.

"Let's meet at Bravo's I'll tell you all about it." InuYasha suggested instead, ignoring the overwhelming urge to ask.

"Sounds good, be there in a few, bye." and Miroku hung up not waiting for a response, he was to busy with whatever it was he was doing. InuYasha didn't mind anyway. Walking to his car he jumped in and took off. He pulled out of the parking lot moving faster than the law would appreciate. He sped off down the road. He arrived three minutes earlier than Miroku who pulled in just as InuYasha was being seated. Miroku pulled up a seat next to him and sat with an excited look on his face. Like a kid at Christmas.

"Was she beautiful?" was Miroku's first question he crossed his hands over his place mat leaning in to make sure he heard every detail.

"Of course, and she was a damsel in distress." InuYasha smirked at his friend confidence making him puff up his chest.

"Hmm, did you rescue her and expect a kiss in return?" Miroku was quick to ask, "That's not how it works now days." Miroku reminded him with a sad sigh. Of course he'd know all about how it worked.

"I'm not quite sure what I was saving her from but I'm sure I did an excellent job at it." InuYasha laughed warmly at the thought of the girl. That seemed to be the only thing he could rationally think about. The waitress stopped by and took their drink orders and they sat and relaxed.

"Uh huh, she didn't get you that bad, I don't see a hand on your face," Miroku examined his friends face searching with knowing eyes. "Too bad, that would have been picture worthy." Miroku grinned and looked around the nearly empty restaurant. There weren't enough women in the place to make him truly enjoy it, but the food was good.

"It was early this morning and I had to lie to 5 people before I was safely in my office." InuYasha explained, giving Miroku the dirty details. "It was a good one. I promise."

"It was early this morning and I'm just now hearing about this?" Miroku was outraged, only not as outraged as that girl had been this morning. InuYasha laughed remembering how red her face had turned. "And I thought we were friends."

"We are I was just busy." InuYasha punched his buddy in the arm. The waitress brought them their drinks and went to place an order.

"So you gonna ask her out?" Miroku asked nonchalantly opening his straw. He tore off one end then blew the paper remains in InuYasha's direction.

"What?" InuYasha's eyes widened incredulously, "I can't ask her out, I don't even know her!" He put his paper from his straw in his mouth then loaded his straw and shot the spit wad at Miroku. It hit him in the forehead and he looked up at it where it stuck, a grimace on his face. He brushed it off and looked at his friend.

"Sure you can, I do it all the time." Miroku stated matter-of-factly, the epitome of confidence.

"Yea, but you're you..." InuYasha tried to explain but it was a no go. There was no way to explain to Miroku that his way of getting women never worked, he always saw it as a miracle if he could get a slap out of them. Miroku just didn't seem to get it.

"Yea I'm me and your a little chicken!" Miroku laughed. "Hey man, if you don't want her, then you know, send her my way. I'd gladly ask her out."

"I'm not a chicken!" InuYasha retorted. "And no, you can't have her, she's not a toy!"

"Oh, so you like her," Miroku smiled triumphantly, "Then ask her out!" Miroku advised, "But I swear if you don't, I will," Miroku didn't mean it, but he was sure it would make InuYasha comply.

"Ok I will!" InuYasha frowned, realizing what he'd just gotten himself into. He never got a chance to take back what he said, for the waitress came back around at that moment to take their orders. Then the girl left his mind and he didn't think about her again for another five hours, which was a once in a life time experience.

* * *

Kagome sighed happily; she finished up her last report of the day and put her specimen back into the freezer signing the clipboard to verify that's what she did. She smiled content with her progress for the day.

"I have to take these reports to processing," She told Sango cleaning off the last wastes from her lab desk. "Do you have any you want me to take?" Kagome offered knowing Sango stayed late after work everyday, working on her new discovery. Kagome wasn't exactly sure what that discovery was, but it must have been good.

"Yea," Sango got up from the lab table and went to her desk. She pulled out a few files and handed them to Kagome. "You think you could take these?"

"Sure," Kagome nodded taking the files from Sango's hands and looking at the file names.

"They go to the boss-man," Sango explained, giving her a smile "He's on level 5."

"Ok, I think I can handle that," Kagome felt nervous, she'd never actually met her boss, only his secretary, she was the middle man...or woman, but you get the point. "Is there anything I need to tell him?" Kagome asked stacking the files with her own pile of papers. Feeling a bit nervous, Kagome waited and listened so as not to screw up.

"Just tell him I need him to review them and sign the release for the experiment." Sango said taking a seat back in front of her specimen. She got back to work not waiting for Kagome to leave. Kagome nodded and headed out the door with a wave. She took off her lab coat and goggles and hung them on the coat rack next to the door. Grabbing her briefcase she left. She walked briskly down the hall going over her reports making sure everything was completed. Her shoes made a loud clicking noise off the tile flooring but she hardly noticed. She was too busy rechecking her work to make sure she hadn't missed anything. She found out in her first week that leaving something blank was a big no no.

She rounded a corner and passed a bathroom. She kept going but an idea popped into her head. She decided after a long day in the lab she probably wasn't looking all that great. She wanted to stop at the bathroom to fix her make up. After all she should look good when she met her boss for the first time. She turned on her heal and was instantly sorry for not paying attention to her surroundings. She ran into someone so hard that she fell backwards her legs flying up over her head with the momentum. Kagome panicked because she was wearing a skirt, that meant whoever it was had just gotten a free view of her undies.

"Is that how you come on to all guys?" A cocky voice asked above her. She fixed herself but still hadn't gotten the chance to stand up; shock had her stuck in place. Her head jerked up and the sight of the familiar face made her want to cry. He offered her his hand but she pushed it aside and got up on her own.

"Where do you get the nerve mister?!" She yelled indignant and not wanting an honest answer. She slapped him full across the face again for the second time that day and ran off to the bathroom. 'What was he even doing that close behind me?' She wanted to panic but she kept her cool, she knew he couldn't follow her in here anyway. So at least she was safe...for now.

She thought about reporting him for sexual harassment, but she didn't know his name. Though she doubted there were that many men who worked here with white hair. That was a dead give-a-way. She decided to ask her boss and see if he was familiar with a man with white hair. She looked in the mirror and fixed her hair, she applied a little powder to her nose. She smiled at herself in the mirror and feeling a bit vain left the bathroom in more of a hurry now. When she got to the processing department she had to fill out several forms. It took her more than 10 minutes because she had to keep asking questions. The people in there probably talked badly about her after she left. But it wasn't completely her fault that she still wasn't used to the form style. She smiled at the man behind the desk answering her questions, she almost felt sorry for him. She handed him the papers and left. Not bothering him with a goodbye.

"See you tomorrow miss." He said on her way out, and she could almost swear she heard him chuckle. She headed to the stairs, putting him and her processing problems out of mind. She didn't have space in her head to be angry with them as well. Only one cocky white haired man was currently there, she was saving all of her energy just so she could stay pissed at him. She paced herself not going to fast. After all she didn't want to be all sweaty when she met her boss for the first time. She announced herself to the secretary who asked her to have a seat and wait for the boss to get in; she told her he was in a meeting. She nodded and took a seat in a really nice armchair. She'd sat down for all of three seconds and the lady called her up to the desk. She grumbled a bit, her butt making a squeaking noise as she stood from her seat. She smiled when she was instructed to go through a door to the left of her, remembering all the while the line her grandma used to use. If you are tempted to lose patience with your fellowman; stop and think how patient God has been with you. Kagome nodded, and walked through the door. She was surprised by the young red head sitting behind the desk.

"Good afternoon Miss Higurashi." He said politely, he sat in a high backed seat and swiveled a bit. He waved a hand silently instructing her to have a seat and she sat watching him perplexed. Her eyes probably wider than those of sponge bob's

"Aren't you a bit..." She stopped, fumbling for words, not wanting to hurt his feelings, "You know being CEO of this company and all I thought maybe you'd be a bit..." She trailed off not knowing how to address what she was seeing.

"Young?" he finished for her a broad smile covering his face. "I get that a lot. Now what can I do for you?" Kagome ignored the annoying fact that her boss was probably younger than she was and placed Sango's files on his desk. He looked at her confused and pushed the papers aside. He came around the desk and went to her. Confidence in every step.

"You know you're very pretty." He commented, reaching out a hand to stroke her hair. She quickly got up, astonished by his nerve. Honestly what was it with people now days? She grabbed her briefcase and turned to the door ready to leave, "Don't go, maybe we could have dinner sometime." He offered sounding casual, as if he was experienced. As if he gave that line to every woman that he encountered.

"I think not." She was two steps from the door when another voice stopped her. It was a voice that she wasn't entirely surprised to hear. It would just figure after all, that after a day such as this one that that voice would be familiar.

"Shippo! What are you doing in my office?" The voice was commanding and familiar, but Kagome didn't turn, she didn't want it to be true. She started praying to God, maybe she was just imagining things; it was her mind getting back at her for all those therapy sessions.

"Sorry Mr. Takahashi," Shippo smiled at her when he passed her to get to the door. "I just..." He trailed off winking at her, she glared at him and he opened the door to leave. Surely he'd rather face his boss's wrath than hers. Cause she was ready to pounce.

"You better hope I don't refuse to sign your intern papers!" her boss yelled as Shippo slammed the door behind him. Kagome wanted nothing more than to leave now, to follow Shippo right out those doors and never return to work again. Even without telling her boss about Sango's paper, but she wasn't that irresponsible. Too bad for her.

"Sorry ma'am you needed to speak with me?" He looked up at her and saw that she was turned away. That's when she started praying to Satan, and it wasn't working. He'd not been kind and opened a huge hole in the ground to let her escape this fate. She laughed mentally, heck, this was probably his idea of funny. He was the one making her pay. She probably should have prayed to him first. It just figured. Then her thoughts were broken. "Ma'am? Are you alright? My intern didn't harm you did he?" Kagome turned in defeat, knowing no god, or goddess could save her from fate. She knew her boss was the one person in the world who was on her shit list. "Oh hello, how are you?" Recognition lit up his face, "Did you hurt yourself when you fell?" He was so sincere that she wanted to punch him in the face, and she almost did. Except there was one small fact to be reconnoitered...he was her boss.

"The files on your desk are from Sango Fiji," Kagome explained quickly not stopping to breathe. "She wanted you to sign the release form after looking it over. Have a nice day." With as few words as possible yet still being polite Kagome told him what she needed to say and left. She really wanted to punch him even more a few seconds later when he came to catch up with her outside the door to his office.

"Wait, are you upset with me?" he asked and she wanted to scream, wasn't it an obvious answer? She almost let her favorite Bob&Tom quote slip out, but she resisted. She didn't stop, just walked on leaving him there standing staring. She was in a hurry but after the shock wore off he chased her to the stairs. "Please, let me make it up to you," He looked nice enough, but there was no way.

"No thank you, I don't hang out with perverts." She smiled and dodged around him seeing that the elevator doors had just opened. Her fears—lower on the totem pole than her annoyance with her boss—were pushed aside. She slipped in and it was mostly closed when his hand shot through. God did this guy ever give up? He stepped in and gave her a look. Obviously not. She shrugged and looked away, more worried about the fact that she was in an elevator, now that she was able to rationally think.

"At least let me buy you lunch, on your lunch break tomorrow." He pleaded, he looked at her with big puppy dog eyes, and it didn't help her case that he just so happened to have the cutest little white fluffy ears on the top of his head.

"I don't take lunch breaks." Kagome said flatly noticing that the doors were closing and she was now locked in a small square room with her boss. She tapped her foot distractedly wondering if this was the day she was supposed to die.

"Why not?" He was curious now and Kagome had a feeling she wasn't going to get rid of him anytime soon. Which was just great since, you know, she'd made plans for this evening and all. Too bad it was doomed to be a bad day no matter what she did.

"I just started working here, and I wasn't guaranteed a spot here until I proved myself worthy," She shrugged knowing that was just the way some things were, it didn't bother her, "so I skip lunch, extra time to work on my research." Kagome said telling him how it was, she looked around cautiously, she was in an elevator for the first time in her life, and she was scared. She hoped that if she were to die on this day, that it would be quick and painless. Though she doubted God would be that kind.

"Ok, well now you have a guaranteed spot here, until retirement I swear." The words were supposed to be a blessing for her, but she felt trapped like a wild animal. "Now you have to have lunch with me." Her boss smirked.

"I'm not up for a date with my boss." She simply replied, trying her hardest to avoid this with all her being. It wasn't like she was lying. She looked up at him hoping he'd see how badly she just wanted him to leave her alone. That's when she saw it. Her hand on his cheek. She hadn't realized she'd hit him that hard, not that she'd cared when she'd done it.

"It's not a date, just lunch." He countered, somehow he was able to dodge all her attempts and it was starting to piss her off. Not that she wasn't already pissed off. He was just making it worse.

"I don't even know your name." Kagome offered, still trying hard to ditch her boss. She didn't want this, and she knew he didn't either, he was just being nice. Feeling bad for what he'd done to her.

"Well we're even because I don't know yours." He smirked at her his smugness making her want to puke. Why was he so damn sure of himself?

"Kagome, my name is Kagome," She waited for him to reply. Impatiently she tapped her toe, trying hard to make him get the point without her having to say something.

"InuYasha," He offered her his hand, being a gentleman. Too bad she couldn't care less.

"Why are you so insistent on us going to lunch together?" she asked throwing him off, she hoped this would give her time to escape. But of course it didn't.

"I feel bad for the way I've been acting," He sounded sincere enough; "I fear a friend of mine is starting to rub off on me." InuYasha explained dropping his hand, the elevator dinged and they stepped off on the ground floor. Kagome thanked God that she hadn't died, even if she thought it would get her out of a date with her boss.

"Well, I accept your apology, but no lunch is necessary." She spoke fast not looking him in the eyes. Distracting him for a minute Kagome walked to the door trying to give him the slip.

"How about coffee?" He offered as a last hope, he was standing there, giving her the puppy dog eyes, again, and for some reason she thought he looked cute. She banished the thought and gave him a glare. She wanted to just turn and leave, leave him standing there with no answer. She wanted so badly to say no, but she didn't want to get fired for refusing to take his apology. And that was her excuse for saying what she did.

"OK, there's this place on 82nd street," She gave in; she heaved a sigh, and looked to the ground in defeat. "We can meet there tomorrow at noon." She looked up at him to see a cocky smirk light up his face.

"No, I'll stop by and pick you up from your office, I drive." He was smug again, having won, and Kagome was back in a foul mood. He just didn't stop, couldn't leave it with what she gave him. She sighed not wanting this conversation to go on.

"Whatever, see you tomorrow," Then pointing to the doors she added, "I'm gonna go now." She walked away, headed to the doors and eventually on to some place where she could relax.

"Where you going?" He wanted to know, his face was still lit up with that smirk. Kagome realized that was what made him so aggravating. All that testosterone, it was making his head big and making Kagome want to pop it.

"That's none of your business." She replied with the same smirk then quickly left.

End Chapter

AN: Ok so, how much do you love it? Lol Leave me a review and I will update ASAP!

Spoiler Chapter Two Confessions

Kagome has some deep dark secrets that only two other people know about, what happens when a drunken Kagome spills the beans? And who will she spill the beans too? Find out next time on Without Wax

During the Renaissance, Spanish sculptors who made mistakes while carving expensive marble often patched their flaws with cera--"wax." A statue that had no flaws and required no patching wax was hailed as a sculpture sin cera--"without wax." The phrase eventually came to mean anything honest or true. The English word "sincere" came from the Spanish sin cera.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I no own InuYasha, this story however is all my own!

Word Count: 5948

Chapter Two Confessions

She wasn't going straight home; instead she decided to hit the town and go have a few drinks at her favorite bar. Kagome waved hi to Bubba, the bouncer at The Akuda Bar. She was there so often Bubba didn't even card her anymore. She went in a sat in her usual spot at the bar. The place was actually pretty clean for what it was, and it wasn't all smoky. This was a relief, since Kagome had really bad asthma. Hakkaku, the bartender, was standing behind the bar polishing a shot glass when she took her seat.

"Hey Kagome," He nodded in her direction, "Back so soon?" Hakkaku asked tossing the glass in the air and showing off for the ladies at the bar. Kagome'd been here just two nights ago. She wasn't very fond of bars, but this place was great, and her best friend worked here.

"Rough day," She rolled her eyes, giving him a look that said 'don't bother asking'. He laughed at her as she rolled her eyes at the over awed ladies next to her. They were practically asking Hakkaku out, only not coming out and saying it.

"What can I get you?" He asked setting the shot glass in front of her, giving her all his attention. That really put a damper on the mood of the three party girls next to her. No worried though, cause Kagome didn't like Hakkaku that way. She didn't really go for the bald badass sort of guy. Or the smug perverted type either.

"I want jack," Kagome ordered, "double shots no ice." She specified. He knew what she'd order on a normal day, but today was different. Today was the day her past would catch up with her, again.

"That bad eh?" He took note of her exhausted expression. She nodded as he got her a bigger glass and the Jack Daniels off the shelf. She handed him a 50 dollar bill and asked him to keep them coming. She wanted to get wasted, she didn't want to remember. She only wished there was somewhere she could go and not be alone. She thought about going back home, not her apartment, but her mom's house. She knew however that her mother would just make her talk about it, and she didn't want that. The whole point was to not remember.

"Is Koga in tonight?" She asked downing her first double shot. She knew he'd keep her company; she could just stay here all night.

"He should be here soon, he's got next shift." Hakkaku topped off her drink and then went to fill two waitress orders. He came back and offered her the remote. "Your pick tonight." Kagome watched as the girls next to her gave her envious glares and took the remote happily. She wasn't fond of Hakkaku, but she enjoyed the way he was always doting on her.

"Yay," Her enthusiasm was false but she smiled anyway. She downed her next round and flipped on the big screen TV in front of her. She turned it to the first basketball game she came to, she didn't really like the sport but it beat baseball. Hakkaku filled her glass again. She watched the game and waited for Koga. She threw back her third double shot, and Hakkaku filled it up again.

"You're going through those pretty fast," He noted, as she finished off the one he'd just poured. He left her side for a moment to get change for the waitress at the bar. Then he came back and offered her some advice, not that she wanted it. "Might wanna slow down there little Missy."

"Just keep 'em coming," she said forcing herself to drink the next shot, she was already starting to feel them hit her. She probably should have taken the advice, but she was too damned stubborn. Instead she just snorted and said, "I'm paying aren't I?" He gave her an uneasy look but refilled her glass all the same. It only took 2 more shots for Kagome to start being a little too friendly with the big man on her right. Koga walked in as she threw back her last shots, Hakkaku had already decided not to let her have anymore, not that that mattered now. He saw her and smiled warmly. She flipped her glass and sat it on the bar, not really seeing him. She swayed a bit and the man next to her pushed her back into an upright position.

"What's wrong with her?" Koga asked concerned, he watched her as she swayed some more, all the while telling the big man next to her how much she loved basketball.

"Guess she had a bad day at work," Hakkaku shrugged, it wasn't that he didn't care; he just didn't like being yelled at in front of the ladies. "She's been here since 6:30." Hakkaku said filling drinks for the 3 ladies at the bar on Kagome's left.

"How many has she had?" Koga was watching her cautiously. The man seemed to be having trouble with her and was apparently listening in on the conversation since he looked up at Koga desperate for him to help out.

"I don't know 6, maybe 7." Hakkaku pulled out a bottle of triple sec and some tequila, "She was paying..." He trailed off at the glare on Koga's face. Today apparently wasn't the day to piss him off, too bad it was too late.

"You know she's a lightweight!" Koga practically yelled, pointing an accusing finger in Kagome's direction. He wanted so bad to pummel his co worker, but he didn't need to be fired.

"I can't refuse a paying customer!" Hakkaku argued back. He was really getting annoyed, and the ladies at the bar were getting up to leave. He just lost his tip too.

"Yea, well now you're going to pay," Koga said walking away from Hakkaku, a disappointed look on his face, "you get to take my shift while I take her home." Koga said he threw his coat back on and went around the bar.

"Ah man, come on!" Hakkaku ran a hand through his hair frustration building up. He turned and poured himself a shot of whiskey, ignoring the fact that he wasn't allowed to drink on the job.

"Don't start with me." Koga warned, he went to Kagome and helped her from her chair. The big man next to her looked relieved and gave him a smile and nod.

"Hi!" Her voice was a high pitched screech, he ignored the smell of her breath knowing that she was well past tipsy. She'd probably throw up soon.

"Hi," He greeted her, taking his time to check her eyes for dilation, "Come on let's go." He pulled her arm around his neck and took her by the waist. She let out a long belch that took him and the big man by surprise. They gave each other looks, both with a hit of humor in them.

"But you just got here." She commented hiccupping a little. She stumbled as she got to her feet, as if she'd never walked before. Koga knew what alcohol did to people; he had to see it every night. It seemed to have a worse effect on Kagome.

"Don't worry, I don't mind." He helped her walk supporting most of her weight. He led her out the back door and to his truck.

"Where are we going?" she hiccupped then broke off into a fit of giggles he gave her a cautious look and moved to help her to open the car door. He helped her into his truck and gave her a bag in case she needed to throw up.

He went around the truck and got in on his side. "I'm taking you home." He told her leaning over her to buckle her up, and then buckling up himself he started his truck and drove off.

Her bottom lip jutted out in a deep pout. "But it's still early, I don't wanna go home!" She whined and crossed her arms stubbornly over her chest.

He glanced over at her and laughed at the look she was shooting him; he resisted the urge to laugh and instead tried reasoning with her. "OK, how about my house then?" He watched her for a reaction, "Is that ok?"

She nudged his arm with hers and giggled again, "Yep!" she smiled goofily.

He continued to drive but decided she would need to fess up on what was making her act so childishly. "OK, then you can tell me what happened today and why you're acting like this." She frowned not necessarily liking the idea, but he didn't really care.

With her arms still crossed she gave him a heavy humph "I don't wanna remember." She pouted, and he gave her a knowing smile.

Knowing he really shouldn't push her while she was in her current state, Koga only kept talking to keep her awake. "Is that why you got drunk? Is it that bad?" He looked at her concerned and she nodded vigorously hitting her head on the dashboard.

She rubbed her chin and groaned. "Ow," She leaned back in her seat annoyed and he sighed.

She was far more gone than he thought. "Be careful." He put his hand over hers and rubbed it in a caring way; she smiled at him giggling a bit.

She gave his question some thought and answered in the true drunken Kagome style. "I had a bad day, but I feel better now." Her head lolled to the side and she began drifting off to la-la land.

Koga was having issues keeping her stable and watching the road but they were almost to his place. "Kagome stay awake we're almost there." He nudged her arm which had her back into a sitting position rather quickly. He pulled into the parking garage at his apartment complex and shut off the truck. He got out and went around helping her out.

With a confused look Kagome glanced around her to where the door was and where Koga now stood. "Where are we?" She was twirling a strand of hair around her finger as he helped her out of the truck.

He gave her a funny look ashamed that she couldn't even remember a conversation that took place not ten minutes before. "Kagome you've been here several times, we're at my place." Koga realizing just then how hammered she actually was.

As if his words had clicked on an imaginary light bulb, her face lit up. "Oh," He walked her up to the sidewalk and let go of her for a few seconds to open the door.

She wobbled on her own two feet and he placed his hand on her shoulder to balance her, "Come on," he grunted picking her up because she was no longer capable to stand let alone walk. He carried her in and laid her on the couch. Koga went to the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle from the fridge and some crackers from the pantry. He went back to Kagome and woke her up.

He lightly slapped her face till she came to, "Kagome, have you eaten anything today?" he helped her to prop her head up so she could sip some water.

Her eyes moved to the ceiling as if she were thinking really hard. "I had a bagel," She thought for a moment longer. "Around 6 this morning," She sounded mostly level headed, which surprised him a little.

He thought about what her body would be doing at the moment, and her lack of food wasn't a good thing. "OK," He went to the kitchen and pulled out turkey and mayo from the refrigerator. He made her a sandwich knowing she'd need it after she threw up, which if he wasn't mistaken would happen very soon. He was getting ready to grab a trash basket just for that reason when she shot past him. He followed her as she raced to the bathroom. Rubbing her back softly and holding her hair back he waited as she emptied her stomach. After she was finished he got her a wet rag and sat with her as she cried softly on the floor.

He only left once to grab her some sweat pants and one of his college football t-shirts. He left her to change and at her consent entered the room. She sat on the floor where he'd left her, only now his clothes were covering her slight body. He left her to sit for a while hoping she'd get up on her own accord. When she didn't after a half an hour he picked her up tired of watching her sit there helpless and hopeless.

She groaned as he situated her in his arms. "I'm a mess," She deducted after catching sight of herself in the mirror.

He laughed at that, it'd been a long time since she'd been that blunt. "No you're not," Koga smiled down at her as he sat her softly on the couch. He went to the kitchen and grabbed her sandwich.

He brought it to her and she took it with a weary look. "Thanks," She took the food but didn't even attempt eating it.

He knew she wasn't feeling well, but he also knew the sandwich would help. "You'd better eat it, otherwise you could pass out." Koga advised turning on the TV. He changed it to cartoons knowing how much she loved the funny nonsense. He put it on Sponge bob and she smiled at him.

"How'd you know?" She looked at him askance.

Confusion written all over his face he lifted an eyebrow, "Know what?"

She giggled at his goofy face and replied as if it were obvious. "How'd you know that Sponge bob is my favorite?" Her eyes were shining with glee as she watched the cartoon on the screen.

He laughed not believing what he was hearing. "Kagome you watched Sponge bob for 6 hours everyday at my house last summer, before you went off to that job." Koga reminded her.

Kagome sat in silence at his words. She appeared to be stuck in the middle of two big choices. Koga grew ever more curious as she sat and rocked. "I didn't get a job." Kagome finally confessed. "I lied to you."

There was a moment's silence in which Koga debated what to say. "Why?" His previous confusion etched itself back onto his face.

Kagome looked away from his pained expression. "I—I wasn't a good person." She fell silent. After ten minutes of them both sitting staring at the floor mutely with Sponge bob in the background she spoke again. "I, I'm not sure I want to tell you."

With a spark of anger in his tone took her chin making her look at him. "Why even mention it then?" He growled slightly annoyed, betrayal didn't feel very good.

He heard her sniff and instantly regretted his reaction; he didn't want her in tears. "I don't want you to hate me, like everyone else hates me." Kagome looked so fragile in that moment, he caved, his annoyance instantly gone.

Taking her hand in his he softly spoke. "Kagome I could never hate you!" Koga smiled at her warmly, the truth showing in his words. "I've known the real you for so long no one could change that."

Koga watched as an errant tear streaked down Kagome's cheek. "I could," She murmured almost too softly for him to hear.

He allowed his hands to frame her face and wiped away the tear from her cheek softly. "Kagome, whatever you did, I won't hate you." Koga took her hand and squeezed it tightly.

She closed her eyes tightly and Koga knew she was remembering what ever horrible thing she was going to share with him now. "I was terrible, nasty, I wasn't even human," Kagome's voice was soft and intense. "What I did was selfish and vile and it hurts."

More tears started coming and Koga had to try hard not to feel her pain with her. "Kagome all I know is all I need to know, and I'm not going to push you into telling me what you're keeping from me." Koga told her sincerely, again brushing away her tears.

Sniffing a bit she straightened her shoulders determinedly. "I want to tell you, I want you to know," She stopped not finishing her thought.

He knew she was going to share and he only hoped there was some way he could help. "Only if you want me to know." He put a hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes, and she looked back.

He gave her a soft smile and her face darkened a bit. "Just, promise me something," She waited and he nodded, "don't leave me alone, this is painful, I don't want to be alone tonight."

He was confused; did she honestly think he'd kick her out of his home? "Kagome you can stay here whenever you need to, no matter what." He promised and she heaved a sad heavy sigh and let it all out, finally.

After a heavy resolved sigh she started her story. "Last summer after I left your house for the last time," She started off slowly and then if all rushed out of her with no restrictions. "I went to a party, with some friends and classmates, I'm not sure why I thought I had to lie to you about the party, I just did." She paused wanting to stop but she kept going at his reassuring smile. "Some guys there convinced me to try drugs," She looked away not wanting to see his reaction and quickly went on, "I know it was stupid but I did it, and I'm not proud of myself, but it's not like I can change that now. Well after that night I was hooked," She squeezed his hand and felt relief when he squeezed back.

"Mom had given me some money, well over $1000, I spent it all on drugs living off the high, I had enough cocaine to stay high 24/7." She looked up at him for the first time but his face was expressionless. "After I ran out of cocaine my drug dealer gave me free crystal meth, it was more powerful but when the withdrawal kicked in I was a wreck." She was on the verge of tears but she held back.

"After I ran out of money I started selling cocaine on the streets, mostly to minors, I didn't like the idea, but I was so worried about being high that I didn't care." Her voice broke and she bit down on her bottom lip holding back the sob that was getting ready to spill tears from her eyes. "I didn't know, I didn't know..." The words broke her will and she sobbed letting the tears run free the whole time repeating that last phrase. Koga pulled her into his lap and rocked her back and forth rubbing her back soothingly.

He didn't like seeing her like this; she was unstable and he wasn't going to take anymore. "You don't have to continue, I don't need to know, not if it's going to hurt you this much." His voice was soft and sweet, she cried harder at this.

Kagome continued on knowing she wouldn't feel better until he knew everything. "You deserve to know, you need to know what kind of person I am." Kagome was sure this was what she wanted, she continued on not waiting for his response. She pulled away from him a little and looked up at him. "There was a girl I'd sold her one pop, not even enough to stay high for more than an hour, I was starting to realize how bad I was getting," She stopped to gauge his reaction, he brushed the tears from her cheeks and she continued. "She used the cocaine I gave her and got high, I didn't know." She broke off, the image of the girl flashing in her mind, "She was so young, she was suicidal, she took the drugs and jumped off a 10 story building." the tears came freely now and Koga was concerned that she would become mentally incapacitated soon.

He held her closer and felt her pain too. "Stop, give yourself a minute," He advised and she sank deeper into his arms, her head rested against his shoulder crying hard. She calmed after a few minutes of his calming whispers, telling her that it was going to be ok.

Finally she regained her senses. "When I found out I was crushed, I wanted to kill myself, I used the last of my money and went to the club to get trashed," Kagome stopped knowing this was the hardest part, the part she'd repressed. "No one cared about me, I realized that the people I thought were my friends were just con artists, their sole purpose was to make people like me and use them like they used me. I left the club drunk and high." She didn't want to tell him the next part but she knew she had to in order to get over it. "A guy picked me up outside the club, he threw me in his car and drove off, I was to out of it to remember most of it, but I do remember," She stared blankly at the ground, "He—he, he did things..."

Koga's heart broke instantly at the thought of her innocence being stolen in such a way. "Shh, stop, you don't have to say it, I understand." He smoothed her hair down her back, and kissed her forehead. "It's okay, I've got you." He whispered by her ear as she freely cried.

She didn't wait for the tears to stop; she continued on, there was still more to tell. "The cops found me in an alley with a bunch of garbage," When she'd gained her composure a few minutes later she sat up and looked him in the eyes. "I was messed up bad; they took me to a hospital. I told them everything, about the girl, about my drug dealer," She wiped the tears from her cheek, sniffing loudly and he took her hand and squeezed it. She gave him the slightest of smiles before returning to her story.

"And in exchange for me testifying in court they let me off with 6 months of rehab. I switched my college studies to an individual study program that I took while I was in rehab, so I finished early. The school was so understanding I couldn't believe it, they gave me my degree and I went from there to get a job." Kagome finished, and waited for him to ask her to leave, she kind of hoped he would though in her mind she knew he wouldn't.

He thought about her story but couldn't think of what to say. "Why didn't you tell me?" Was his first response after a long period of silence. "I was always there for you. I would have helped you."

She squeezed his hand the same way he had hers and looked up at him. "I didn't tell anyone." Kagome confessed. "Aside from the cops, my mom and Kikyo, no one knew."

"Who's Kikyo?" Koga instantly wanted to know. He knew she wasn't a relative.

Kagome knew he'd want to know so she just came out with it. "Her sister was the one I killed." Kagome looked away; she didn't want to see his reaction.

What she didn't expect was what she heard next. "You didn't kill her Kagome, you didn't know any better," Koga tried to tell her.

But she had her wits again and she knew it was her doing. "Yes I did, I never should have done any of that, I should have just said no, and I shouldn't have left you." Kagome responded. "Kikyo, she was the girls only living relative, she was so angry at me for not being put in jail, she followed me, haunted me, she came to check on me once in rehab, she told me that I would never forget her sister. She wanted me in jail, she wanted me to rot, and she still does." Her voice broke and he held her closer. "She could tell my boss, I'd be fired for sure."

Koga saw her reasoning and was sure he'd be right on with his next question. "That's why you got drunk today?"

Kagome debated for a moment over some unknown information. "Not exactly, she was following me, she was there, in the parking lot with me, she's stalking me, making sure I won't forget," Kagome sighed, "It's not like I could anyway, that small face will haunt me forever, like the girl is part of me now."

He didn't want her in any more pain. "Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be all right, just remember me if you ever need a place to stay." Koga comforted her "I'll give you the spare key so you can get in whenever you want, okay?" he offered and she was so glad in that moment to have a friend like him.

"Thanks Koga you're so wonderful." Kagome snuggled up to him and he smiled into her hair. He held her tight as they sat there watching Sponge bob, which was apparently running a marathon. He had contradicting thoughts about what he'd learned about the girl he loved. He didn't know if he should tell her about how he felt after such a traumatic story. Plus with her being half drunk he didn't want to piss her off. He held her instead and knew she was finally at peace with the demons of her past. After 3 more episodes of Sponge bob, Kagome was asleep; he carried her into his room and tucked her into his bed. He grabbed the blanket off the end of the bed and went to sleep on the couch.

(insert Divider Here)

Kagome woke up and sat up fast causing pain to rush to her head. She had a serious headache, definitely caused by the hangover she also had. She looked around and tried to remember where she was. She found a clock by the bed and saw that it was only four in the morning; she still had three hours before she needed to go to work. She got up and left the room looking for a kitchen. She still had no idea where she was. She walked slowly but that didn't keep her from tripping on everything possible. As she was just reaching the doorway to the next room she tripped over a large pile of clothing. She fell forward and caught herself on something sturdy, but it wasn't sturdy for long. It seemed to be a cd case holder. It tipped over under her weight and the plastic cases went flying. She landed hard her side digging into the metal of the holder. She cursed and somewhere near her someone spoke. It was Koga.

"Kagome what's going on?" He sat up faster than she had minutes before.

After a moment of almost silent curses Kagome grounded out an answer, and if he wasn't mistaken it almost sounded sarcastic. "I fell." She looked around her and winced at the movement.

He smiled at her annoyance. "Are you still all in one piece?" He was up on his feet now slowly making his way over to her, he didn't want another disaster.

He heard her move and take in a harsh breath. "My side is going to be bruised in the morning, but I'm sure I'll live." He turned on a light and she flinched covering her eyes. His eyes roamed over the mess that she sat amongst. That when he noticed the red line down her calf. He looked at her in concern, but she hadn't seemed to notice.

"Kagome! You're bleeding!" She looked around at her exposed skin looking for the source of his panic. Yep he was right she had a large cut down her calf, from what? She wasn't sure, but it only started to hurt when she looked at it. Her first response was to freak out, but Koga already had that covered as he had run to the kitchen to get the first aid kit. Instead she sat there in stunned silence watching her blood run from her body, like there was nothing else left to do. He came back only gone for a few seconds.

She snapped back to her senses as he applied pressure to the wound with a wet rag. "Ouch!" She almost screamed when he used another rag to wipe the blood around the cut off. It was a nice cut, vertical down her calf about six inches long. "That's gonna leave a mark." She looked at the break in her skin in disgust. She had never been that great with blood.

Koga lifted the medical kit off the floor near him and laid it closer, he was having space issues and so he motioned for her to get up. "Let me help you." He was still worried, but Kagome was barely in pain. He picked her up, ignoring the mess on the floor, and carried her to the couch. "Where else does it hurt?" He asked after getting the cut on her leg to stop bleeding.

He was wrapping her wound in a gauze while she tried to remember where else she'd hurt herself. "I landed on my side." Kagome leaned over on her good side and he lifted her shirt to make sure she wasn't bleeding. It was red, but it wasn't bleeding.

He was no doctor but he was sure his diagnosis was correct. "It's going to bruise and hurt a lot, but you'll live." He smiled at her and she gave him a confused look, as she finally took in her full situation.

She thought for a moment about what had happened in the past 6 hours but nothing was clicking. "Why am I here?" She didn't remember and he almost wondered if she'd regret telling him.

He pulled her shirt down and helped her to get comfortable, "You were drunk when I showed up at work," Koga helped to refresh her memory, "I made Hakkaku take my shift, I was going to take you to your place but you wanted to come here." Her face lit up with realization, then fell a bit.

She looked up at him in shock. "So it wasn't a dream?" She gave him a cautious look, not remembering how he had reacted. "I told you?"

He smiled reassuringly down at her and took a seat next to her. "Yes you told me," He gave her another soft smile; it was all he could think to do.

He seemed comfortable with her, but she still was worried. "And you don't hate me?" She looked scared and fragile, and it pained him to see.

"Not at all." He pulled her to him and she smiled into his shoulder as they hugged.

She didn't want to lose him so she just accepted it. "I'm glad." she waited for him to let her go and then added. "Why are you sleeping out here?"

"I wasn't going to sleep with you!" He said incredulously.

Not comprehending the meaning in his words Kagome tilted her head in askance. "Why not?" Cleary she didn't know the effect she had on him. "We've been friends for years,"

He knew she didn't know how he felt but it hurt when she put it so bluntly. "Exactly, and I don't want to ruin that." Was his cover up excuse and he hated not telling her, after all she could feel the same way and just like him not know how to say it. "How's your head?" He changed the subject, not wanting to hurt himself with anymore talk of being just friends.

As if his words recalled her to the pain she put her hand to her head. "It hurts, and is about the only thing that does." Kagome grinned, "You don't by any chance have any vicadin?" She jokingly wondered.

He laughed at her crazy antics. "No, but I do have Tylenol." He shrugged at her slight frown but he knew she was just joking.

She acted distraught and laid her head back as if the world were coming to an end. "It'll have to do," She faked a heavy sigh, and then giggled. He got up and went to get it for her. Koga checked the time while he was in the kitchen. It was four AM. Normally he'd just be arriving home at this hour. It was early and he didn't have to be in for work for another 8 hours. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and got Kagome some Tylenol from the cabinet. He went back to the living room and sat with her on the couch.

"Here take these," He handed her the pills and she took them, she sat there half asleep and he smiled at her. "Okay, back to bed."

She was quiet for a moment and he could tell she was thinking. "Can I sleep in here with you?" Her voice was so innocent he couldn't say no. So he lay down and she lay down next to him resting her head on his chest. She was asleep before he'd even had the chance to pull the cover over them. He smiled down at her.

"Goodnight Kagome." He whispered wrapping his arms around her. It didn't take long before he was closing his eyes and drifting off as well.

End Chapter

AN: So? What'd ya think? Leave a review and I'll update when I'm satisfied with these results.

Spoiler Chapter Three Without Wax

It's the day after her confession and Kagome just realizes she's missed her scheduled date, how will she avoid the wrath of InuYasha now? And how considerably nice does he turn out to be?


	3. Chapter 3

Hey ya'll I'm back! yea! So here's your beloved update! enjoy and drop me a line when your finished and let me know what you thought! ciao!

Disclaimer I don't own Inu

Chapter Three Without Wax

Word Count: 5650

Sango sat at her desk wearing her lab coat that she hardly ever took off. She was going over regulation paperwork for the new project she was planning to start that afternoon. She had already gone over the safety procedures and she was almost ready to go down to processing and see if her shipment was in. She'd upped her specimen from single celled bacteria to lab rats. Not her favorite thing to experiment with but she was hoping for improvements in her tests. She sat there so wrapped up in her new project that she hadn't even noticed Kagome hadn't shown up for work yet. It took another hour for it to dawn on her that her friend hadn't arrived yet. She thought it was a bit odd, since Kagome hadn't been late once since she started working for LabTech, she was actually quite early most days. She decided to wait another hour, Kagome could be having car trouble, if she wasn't here by then Sango would make some calls and see where she was.

Sango worked diligently, losing track of time, she finalized the paperwork she needed to start working with her rats and so she gathered her things and went to processing.

As she walked in the door the man at the desk looked up and smiled at her. "Hi Kile, how's it going?" Sango smiled back heading to his desk.

He typed on his keyboard for a moment looking for some information. "Good, your rats are here!" He looked up at her from behind his computer.

She grinned and clapped her hands together. "Fantastic, that means I can get to work." Sango handed him the paper work she had and he handed her a clipboard. It was a sign out form to verify that she got her shipment. She signed it, "What time is it?" She needed to know for the last line of the documentation.

He checked his watch. "Five till twelve," It was a casual reply that had reminded Sango of something, but she couldn't quite remember what. She started writing, she'd remember eventually, and then it hit her. She'd forgotten all about Kagome!

She slapped her palm to her forehead feeling stupid. "I have a favor to ask," Sango knew she should go look for her friend. After all she could have been in a car wreck or something.

"Shoot," Kile went about his work, barely flinching at the request.

Sango smiled at him, she could always count on people in processing to help her out. "Could you have one of the interns take my rats up to my lab?" Sango put on her best pouty face, "Please?"

He never looked away from his computer screen, just waved a hand at her. "Yeah yeah, go ahead I'll have it taken care of!" He smiled.

"Thank you so much!" Sango smiled in return and left, she had a friend to find.

Sango wondered for a moment if Kagome had quit, she hadn't heard any rumors, but Kagome was really stressed lately for some reason so Sango wouldn't put it past her. She decided to check with her boss, Kagome would have to tell them if she was quitting. She went to the elevator and got in. She rode it up to the 5th floor and got off.

As she entered the room she was overwhelmed by the smell of cheap perfume. "Hello," A soft voice welcomed her. She looked up and saw it was the pretty blonde secretary "is there something I can help you with?"

Sango thought about her wording, she didn't want to ask the secretary if Kagome'd quit. "Yes, actually, is Mr. Takahashi in?"

The blonde gave her a frown. "I'm sorry, he just left for lunch." She double checked her computer to confirm.

Sango sighed heavily, why was she always stuck in these kinds of situations? "Do you know where he went?" Sango sounding urgent, this made the blond give her a forgiving smile.

She looked back at her computer and typed in some information. "I believe he was planning to have lunch with a Miss..." She trailed off looking back to her computer again, "Higurashi, that's all I know for sure though." She offered a smile.

Sango took the information in and then it hit her. "Kagome?" Sango looked at her confused.

The blond nodded. "Yep, that's the one." Her face brightened considerably.

Sango thought for a moment. "So she didn't quit." Sango thought aloud more to herself then to the blonde in front of her.

Not know what Sango was talking about the secretary replied. "Not that I'm aware of."

Sango nodded, she still wasn't sure what was going on though. "Thanks." Sango gave the girl a broad grin, after all if Kagome hadn't shown up for work, maybe InuYasha was the reason. And apparently Kagome was having lunch with their boss. Sango wondered why seeing as Kagome never took lunch breaks. Then again, you never tell your boss no if he asked you to lunch. Sango was lost in thought for a moment before it hit her. Kagome had skipped work to avoid this lunch break. Too bad Kagome didn't know that InuYasha never gave up on a woman he was after. Poor Kagome she'd have him practically stalking her before she gave in. Sango knew Kagome didn't get out much, she knew Kagome was in desperate need of a boyfriend. Or, at least, she needed someone to go out and have fun with. Sango laughed to herself, she'd just give Kagome a call and see what she was up to.

(Insert Divider Here)

InuYasha made his way down the hallway excited about his lunch date with Kagome. He'd told Miroku he'd ask her out and even though he hadn't gotten a real date, it was just as good. He walked slow not wanting to arrive too early and make it seem like he was too anxious. He made a few stops along the way, once at Shippo's side office to make sure he'd hold off any meeting till after 2 'o clock. Then again at the men's room to make sure he looked okay. Feeling stupid for worrying so much he headed straight to Kagome's lab.

When he got there neither she nor Sango were in, so he waited. He knew it was possible that they could be at processing or anywhere else for that matter. He hoped Kagome hadn't forgotten. After waiting around like a fool for a good 20 minutes InuYasha started to grow annoyed. She was ditching him. He wanted badly to throw his fist through the wall but he held back. Just as he was going to leave Sango walked around the corner and spotted him. She had just closed her cell phone and was putting it into her pocket.

Sango saw his face and then it hit her; he was waiting for someone who wasn't even in the building. "InuYasha?" She tried to look surprised to see him.

He approached her in a fast paced walk. Sango could already tell he was well passed pissed. "Where's Kagome?" He didn't even try to hide his anger.

Sango knew she couldn't stall long before he'd figure it out so she quickly thought up something. "She's sick; she didn't come into work today." Sango covered for her friend, and she felt remotely bad for doing it.

He looked miffed and Sango took a step back. "I'm sure," His sarcasm was strong. "She's ditching me isn't she?" He was so hurt that Sango almost told him the truth, the only problem was, she didn't know the whole truth. She'd just called Kagome's home and there was no answer.

Sango decided she'd find out where Kagome was after dealing with InuYasha. "I just called her, and I'm serious, she sounds terrible," Sango replied feeling terrible herself. "I think she had a rough night last night."

InuYasha took in her words and seemed to accept it. "Sango how well do you know Kagome?" InuYasha didn't seem quite so furious, so Sango complied and answered his question.

She thought about it for a moment. "I've known her for a month or so, ever since she started working here, but we're good friends, I would think." Sango told him.

InuYasha thought for a moment. "Yesterday, when she came in to work, she said she was being followed, do you have any idea by whom?" InuYasha was curious, and Sango didn't see a problem in telling him about Kikyo.

"Kikyo," The name on her voice was soft but InuYasha caught it.

InuYasha was cautious; he didn't want Sango to change her mind about telling him. "Who is she?" InuYasha questioned her.

Sango grew unsure, she wasn't sure if Kagome would care if she told him. "I'm not for sure, someone from Kagome's past; something terrible happened to her from what I've heard." Sango didn't want to tell him too much and then suffer from Kagome's wrath later.

It only took a moment for InuYasha to react. "She hasn't told you about it?" InuYasha was curious as to why, but it didn't look like Sango knew much either.

"No, I don't think she's told anyone, to tell the truth." Sango shrugged. "It's none of my business so I didn't bother her with asking. We've only known each other for a few weeks now and it didn't seem like something she was interested in discussing, so I didn't push the subject."

InuYasha took that to mean it was time to back off. "Right, I'm just worried about her." InuYasha smiled.

Sango smiled back, she'd never seen InuYasha actually care about someone so much. She'd always thought of him as the shallow type. Or was he just trying to seem worried? She couldn't tell. "I'm sure she'll be fine, she's just a bit below the weather today."

InuYasha put his hands in his pockets, still thinking some things over. "Do you know if she's at home?" The question made Sango falter for a moment. She wasn't sure how many lies she was willing to tell in order to keep Kagome's secret safe. Whatever that secret happened to be.

She wasn't sure what to say, was he going to drop by Kagome's house? She decided to leave him empty handed. "No, I think she said she was headed to the doctor, if she could get a ride with someone, why?" She wanted to know what he was planning.

He didn't know what it was he was planning either, but he didn't want Sango to know. "I was just wondering." He seemed a bit distant. Sango felt bad because she could tell by the way InuYasha was acting he really like Kagome. She was still curious about his motives though. It was actually quite sad that he had chosen to show interest in Kagome, because Kagome didn't like dating. Sango would almost say that Kagome was afraid of men, but that wasn't quite it. There was something else about Kagome she didn't know, and Sango knew it would make everything clear if she were to be let in on the secret.

Sango turned away from InuYasha and towards her office door. "Okay, well I need to get back to work." Sango said pointing to her box of rats on the lab table.

He came back to his senses enough to reply. "Yeah right, thanks again Sango." He smiled and left. He pulled out his phone as soon as he was down the hall and in the elevator. He called Miroku and scheduled lunch at the cafe down the street. After that he made one other call. Hopefully he could make Kagome's day still even without them having had lunch together.

(Insert Divider Here)

Sango waited for InuYasha to disappear around the corner before she went into her office and sat down. Her thoughts were still jumbled but one thing was for sure, she had to find out where Kagome was, and make sure she was really alright. She pulled out her cell phone and tried Kagome's cell. Hopefully this time she'd get an answer.

(Insert Divider Here)

Startled Kagome rolled over at the sound of her phone ringing by her head. Disoriented she reached to grab it and ended up falling off the couch with a loud thud and an "Oof". Scrambling to her feet she looked around for her phone.

There was a loud sizzle and Kagome smelt something but she wasn't sure what. "Kagome are you okay?" It was Koga; his voice was coming from the kitchen along with the sweet smell of food. Kagome wasn't sure what it was but it smelled good.

"I'm okay!" Kagome hollered back after the momentary lapse in memory. Then she remembered last night and getting drunk and telling Koga about her past. She grabbed her phone finally finding it under the edge of the couch.

"Hello?" She answered her voice sounding a bit groggy. She cleared her throat and tried again, "Hello?"

"Kagome? Did I wake you up?" It was Sango on the line.

Kagome ran her hand through her hair. "Um, yeah actually you did," Kagome gave a startled half laugh her voice going up an octave. "What time is it?" She wondered aloud.

Kagome heard Sango sigh heavily. "Its half past noon and I believe you missed your date with our boss." Sango teased, she knew Kagome was going to rip her a new one, but at least she could have some fun first.

Kagome was quiet on the line and mentally she was about to kill herself. "Oh my GOD!" Kagome raced into Koga's room to check the time on the clock. Not that she thought her friend was lying to her...more for the reason that she hoped her friend was lying to her. Of course though, she wasn't. "You're serious!" Kagome was in shock. Man was she totally fired or what.

Sango laughed at her friend for a moment. "Kagome, you're telling me that you didn't plan this?" Sango laughed harder at this for some reason, "I thought for sure you were skipping to get out of that date with InuYasha."

There was a moment of silence on the line as Kagome prayed to the Gods that she'd be saved from any retribution. "Kagome are you okay?" Koga hollered from the kitchen.

Sango shrieked and Kagome was pulled back to reality. "Was that a guy?!" Sango's voice was full of excitement and envy. "You stayed the night at a guy's house?"

Kagome almost took the time to explain but embarrassment was the only emotion she was harboring. "Uh...yeah," Kagome felt her face heat up and knew there was a bright red flush on her cheeks. She was glad Sango couldn't see it and make fun of her.

Sango laughed hard at the coincidence. "What's his name?" Sango wasn't giving Kagome any time to think up an excuse.

It did give her time to change the subject though. "How did you find out about my date?" Kagome countered, avoiding her friends questioning for a brief moment.

"Kagome, you know you can't hide anything from me, besides I thought maybe you had quit because you heard a rumor or something so I went to ask InuYasha and the secretary said he was out on a date with you." Sango beamed at her story. She knew just how much Kagome hated her at the moment, but it only made her smile.

Having over heard the last few minutes of the conversation Koga thought he'd give Kagome some grief. "What date?" Koga stood right behind her, he made her jump, turn and scream simultaneously. Koga had to duck in order to protect himself from her outstretched arm she had just shot out to punch him with.

Kagome glared at Koga but he was too busy dodging her arm that was still smacking at him. "Kagome you better tell me who that is, before I tell on you." Sango demanded.

"Tell on me?!" Kagome screamed in frustration, she had it coming from two ends. "It's no one, so you didn't talk to him?" Kagome was referring to InuYasha again. She shot Koga another glare that he deflected with a smirk of his own. He left her there and went back to the kitchen.

"Maybe I have." Sango teased, "But I will if you don't tell me who that is."

"He's just a friend." Kagome was twirling a lock of hair around her finger actually enjoying having something to herself.

"Sure he is." Sango's sarcasm was obvious. "I'll keep your secret for now, but just remember that you owe me."

"Fine," Kagome was defeated, she gave a heavy sigh, "Thanks I guess."

"No problem, see you tomorrow." Sango sung into the phone.

"Bye" Kagome closed her phone and let her head sink into her hands. She was doomed. She'd have to spill the beans now, and InuYasha would probably be mad at her for skipping out on their lunch plans, she refused to call it a date. She went to the kitchen to get Koga back for scaring her and to get something to eat.

"Good morning." He smiled brightly and she went to him and slugged him hard in the arm. "Ow, what was that for?" He whined with a pained expression that was over dramatic.

"Oh, you'll live!" Kagome teased.

He moved around the kitchen making her a plate of food. "Who were you talking to?" Koga was all but subtle. He placed a plate piled high with eggs, bacon and toast before her. She looked at it in awe, and he laughed. "Stop that and eat."

Kagome finally registered his question. "Sango." She started digging in and she looked to be enjoying her food.

Koga grabbed a plate for himself and piled it high with food. "What did she want?" He came around and took a seat next to her.

"Oh you know the usual," He shot her a look, one eye brow quirked up askance. "She was reminding me that I've screwed up again."

"How exactly did you screw up?" He stopped to check her plate; she had already eaten all her eggs and was working on the toast.

"Well, I stood up my boss." Kagome dropped her toast and dropped her head to her hands. "I'm probably fired; actually I know for sure I am."

"So you were going on a date with your boss?" Koga tried to sum up her dilemma. "And thanks to your little escapade last night you missed your date and you're now fired?"

"I'm not dating him!" Kagome panicked, she didn't want Koga to think she was that way. "He's my boss!"

He only chuckled at her dismay. "So," Koga offered some advice off handedly. "That's never stopped me." He joked.

Kagome glared at him but he just went on to eat his food. "I'm not dating him." Kagome mumbled under her breath.

Koga gave her a moments time so she wouldn't rip his head off then over a bite of bacon whispered. "Uh huh, sure."

She narrowed here eyes in his direction. "Don't make me hurt you." Kagome threatened.

Though her threat didn't seem to phase him, only made the smirk on his face broaden. "Don't make me tell on you!" Koga countered.

She balled her hands into fists and almost growled at him. "Oooh, I'm..." but there as nothing Kagome could think of that would be bad enough.

He rose from his seat and in a teasing manner ruffled her hair. "Yeah that's what I thought." Koga grinned at her as she rushed to flatten it back to her head. "You like me too much to threaten me!"

Koga laughed as he cleared the dishes. "Don't get cocky, or I'll slap that grin off your face." Kagome rose from her seat and took her dish over to the sink.

As he moved to help her she jabbed her fork at him. "Now now, no need to get violent." Koga put his hands up in surrender.

Giving him a playful glare she elbowed him. "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

He smiled down at her as they finished with the dishes. "Aren't you?" Koga replied.

She dried off her hands on a nearby towel and turned the blame back on him. "Yeah, but you didn't wake me up!"

He laughed a loud bark that had her smiling. "I tried but you were out cold, I figured it was best to let you sleep," Koga turned away and smirked to himself, "However if I had known about your date I would had made sure you were awake."

It only took those few words to have her glaring at the back of his head again. "It was not a date!" Kagome punched him in the arm while he laughed hysterically.

"I'm sure that's not what he thought." Koga sent her a look. Kagome got up and pushed him off his chair. She pinned him to the ground and started tickling him. He laughed hard not able to stop himself. He couldn't help thinking that as long as he and Kagome had a relationship as strong as they did now for forever he wouldn't mind her being with someone else. Even if he dreamed about her all the time, this was just as good. They were happy together and she trusted him enough to share her darkest secrets.

He flipped their positions taking her by surprise and as she lay pinned beneath him glaring at him, he couldn't help smiling down at her.

In her darkest voice she gave him a warning. "Don't you even think about it." She seemed serious, but he was past thinking. He reached down and started tickling her in the same manner that she had him. She laughed hard and he didn't relent until she was close to tears.

As he stopped and moved his hands away from her sides he smiled. "Now we're even." He gave her time to catch her breath.

She pouted at him and he gave in. "Not by far." Kagome vowed jokingly. He got up and helped her up too.

He checked the clock and frowned. "I'm sorry Kagome, I have to go, work. You know that place where you're supposed to be?" He looked to her downcast face and realized he was feeling the same way on the inside.

"Okay," She shrugged, "I need to go home anyway." Kagome smiled up at him and he went to get his keys.

He grabbed his coat and remembered she had forgotten hers. He handed his coat to her, "Put it on," She didn't argue and met his request. "I'll drop you off so you can get your car." Koga offered taking his keys from the counter.

Kagome shrugged into the jacket and looked around the living room, he handed her a small bag and she hremembered, fleetingly, changing last night into his clothes. She smiled and took the bag, she was ready to go. "Sounds like a plan." They went out to his truck and he took her to the bar.

(Insert Divider Here)

The first thing Kagome did upon arriving at her small apartment was take a shower. She could practically feel the grim and sweat of yesterday sitting on her skin and it wasn't a pleasant feeling. She took a long hot shower and then quickly dressed. She threw her dirty laundry and Koga's into the washer and filled it with clothes from her hamper. She started the load and then headed for the living room. Kagome sat on her couch thinking up excuses for tomorrow. She knew InuYasha was going to confront her, she was just worried that he'd find out the real reason she had skipped. She busied her hands and mind by cleaning up her apartment a bit. Mostly she just moved things about while she waited for the day to end. She'd never been so bored in her life. She was left with nothing better to do then watch sponge bob and work on some paperwork that she'd had at home with her. She hadn't watched but two episodes of Sponge bob when her phone rang.

She was a bit cautious as she picked up the phone. "Hello?" She answered into the receiver that she'd climbed to the end of the couch to retrieve.

But she sighed in relief when she heard the voice. "Kagome is that you?" Sango was on the other end.

Kagome stifled a yawn as she tried to get off the couch. "Yea why?" Kagome was slightly confused.

There was a loud bang in the background and Kagome frowned into the phone. "Oh, it didn't sound like you there for a moment." Sango laughed off her suspicion. "InuYasha hasn't stopped by, has he?"

Abruptly Kagome turned to the door expecting him to be standing there. She let out the breath she'd been holding. "No, why?" Kagome seemed paranoid, as if at any moment the buzzer could ring.

Sango almost sounded bummed. "Oh, well he seemed like he might try and stop by when I talked to him."

Kagome turned from the door and went to the kitchen. "No, he hasn't, what'd you tell him?" Kagome wondered.

Kagome puffed out her cheeks as she waited for a response. "I told him you were sick, I said it was bad." Sango replied, "He seemed very upset that you weren't here. I'm not sure he bought the lie though, after all if you were sick you would have called in." Sango commented.

Kagome ran her free hand through her hair in an annoyed manner. "Don't make me feel worse than I already do." Kagome dropped her head to her hands. "I didn't plan this, I was just distracted."

Kagome heard Sango snicker. "With that guy?" Sango used a coy tone that made Kagome want to dig a whole in her back yard and bury herself in it.

She sighed knowing there was no way around tell Sango about Koga. "He wasn't the whole reason." Kagome spoke after a moments pause.

Sango was silent for a moment debating her next move. "But he was part of the reason," Sango fished for answers.

It was because of the way she asked that Kagome gave in. "Yes, he was part of the reason, but not a part of what you're thinking," Kagome added fast knowing what her friend was thinking.

Kagome paced around the house as her friend played 21 question trying to figure out just why Kagome'd missed work. "Oh really?" Sango was sarcastic.

"Yes really!" Kagome shot back. She sat back down on the couch with a whoosh. "He's just a friend honestly."

Sango refused to let her friend off the hook without the answers she wanted. "If he is just a friend why won't you tell me his name?" Sango questioned.

Kagome gave in finally she knew this was the only way to get her friend to leave her alone. "His name is Koga." Kagome sighed heavily annoyed by her one and only friend. Some days she just wished the world would go away.

Sango continued on with only a moment's pause. "And how long have you known him?" Her questions were relentless.

"Since we were six." Kagome replied. There was a buzz at the door and Kagome jumped. "Oh my God!" She started panicking.

The panic in Kagome's voice made Sango worry. "What?" Sango was thrown off by the sudden string of curse words that flew from Kagome's mouth. She'd never thought that the girl had the capacity to curse, obviously she was wrong.

There was a small thud and another slew of cussing and Sango knew that Kagome had fallen off her couch. She laughed at her friends distraught. "What is it?"

Kagome was only silent for a fraction of a second longer. "I think he's here!" Kagome ran to the kitchen to check the out the window behind her stove.

"Who Koga?" Sango was lost, "I thought you were with him."

"No, InuYasha!" Kagome couldn't see anyone from her window and she didn't see any shiny cars nearby parked on the street.

"InuYasha's there?" Sango asked incredulously.

"Yeah, I think so," Kagome went to the intercom and said "Who is it?" To Sango she said, "I have to go talk to you later," Then not waiting for a reply hung up.

"Are you a Miss Higurashi?" An unfamiliar voice sounded through the speaker.

"Yes." Kagome replied thrown off a bit.

"I'm here with a package for you, can I come up?" The gravely voice asked.

She hit the buzzer that opened the doors to the lobby. It took the man three minutes to get up the stairs and finally knock on her apartment door. She opened it a bit and then opened it the rest of the way. In his hands was a box and a bouquet of flowers. She gasped at the sight and then he pushed a clipboard into her hands. She signed it and he handed over the box and flowers. Kagome backed into her apartment and the man left. She sat the box down and took the flowers to the kitchen. She cut them down and put them in a vase. That was when she found the card.

Kagome,

I'm sorry you're sick,

Hope to see you tomorrow.

Without wax,

InuYasha

Kagome panicked, how had her boss known her favorite quote? Was it possible that he loved the quote as she did? Or was he merely playing with her mind? She mentally told herself to calm down and felt her breathing slow. She glanced at the card again. A shiver ran down her spine and she shook it off. She couldn't help but think how sweet it was of him to send flowers. She felt even worse at the thought. She'd stood him up, not on purpose, of course, but still, and then he was so sweet about the whole thing. Kagome smiled at the beautiful bouquet of flowers that now stood as the center piece on her table. Then it hit her, he'd sent a box as well. She went to the living room to get it. She took it to the couch and sat with it in her lap. She looked it over cautiously, and then deciding it wouldn't blow up, she opened it.

Inside she found something that brought her close to tears.

Inside the box surrounded by Styrofoam pieces was a large cup of coffee, which happened to be from that same coffee shop on 82nd street she'd mentioned to InuYasha. If Kagome presumed right it would be a Mocha latte, with extra foam. As she took a sip from the still steaming cup she found out it was. She smiled fondly over the sweet taste and guilt hit her hard. It would be hard to ignore her boss now. She decided that maybe he wasn't such a bad guy after all, but that still didn't mean she wanted to date him! No matter how handsome, or polite, or sweet he could be, she was not willing to start a relationship. Not with her job on the line at every turn and Kikyo haunting her. She didn't deserve the happiness that a relationship would bring her. InuYasha would have to get over the fact that she wasn't interested in dating, him or any other man.

End Chapter

AN: Tell me what you thought, leave a review! Will update asap!

Spoiler Chapter Four Trapped By Fate

To what lengths will Kagome go to avoid one measly date with InuYasha? Pretty far if you ask me. And what are her real reasons behind avoiding him at all costs?


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha...or anyone else...except Rocky...my dog.

Ok so here's the update...finally things are gonna start speeding up! hope you enjoy it a lot.

Chapter Four Trapped By Fate

The next morning Kagome got up a half an hour earlier than normal; she wanted to be in to work on time today. She got ready all the while watching pre-recorded episodes of Sponge Bob. She wasn't sure what it about the show but it always made her happy. Could it possibly be the lack of brain skill it took to enjoy it? As she walked out the door, with a buttered slice of toast in one hand the newspaper under her arm and her keys in the other hand, she gave a half-hearted "I'm ready" then left. She drove the speed limit knowing she had time to spare. She'd be in to work with an hour extra, and she wasn't getting paid overtime. She ate her toast but saved the newspaper for the office, she knew she'd have extra time to read it while she waited for Sango to arrive. This would be her first time in the office alone, seeing as Sango always arrived a half an hour before she did and didn't leave till around nine at night. Sango really was a workaholic. She needed to go to an AA meeting for that. Or maybe she just needed a boyfriend. Kagome was sure either would have her friend out of the office at a decent time.

When Kagome got into their office she was shocked by the new addition to the left side of the lab. There were about 50 cages with lab rats inside. Kagome was curious if Sango'd made a break through. She never told anyone her ideas, didn't have them patented so didn't want them to be stolen—or so Kagome assumed. Now that she thought about it, Sango could be working on something illegal, or unmoral. Kagome didn't worry about it, she had checked out the company's credibility and everything was government certified. Kagome didn't bother asking, especially since Sango hadn't asked her about the whole Kikyo situation. Sango was much older than her of course and had been working for LabTech for a longer period of time. So she did at least have an advantage.

Kagome sat at her desk which stood opposite of Sango's. She read her newspaper and contemplated running to the cafeteria down on the first floor. Kagome knew that the coffee was nothing to compare to the hot java she'd enjoyed last night, but she was craving the buzz. She decided no, since she wanted to be in her seat when Sango walked in. Besides Sango'd want details about yesterday, and about Koga. Not that Kagome was going to tell her everything.

Kagome opened the newspaper she'd brought with her and checked the front page. When she didn't see anything of interest she skipped to the back and started reading the comic strips. She was half way through a peanuts comic when Sango walked in. She didn't say a word, just kept quiet and went about reading her newspaper. Sango walked through the door already wearing her lab coat. She sat her goggles on the lab table and went to her desk. She kept her head down reading a lab report and not paying any attention to the outside world. She pulled a pen from her pocket and started taking notes on a pad of paper that she pulled out of her desk. She sat there for a good minute completely oblivious to the fact that Kagome sat across from her. It was silent the only noise was when Kagome turned the page. That made Sango look up.

"Kagome?" she sounded surprised and got up from her desk. "What are you doing here so early?"

"Oh, you know," Kagome said as she folded her newspaper, "since I skipped work yesterday, I thought I'd come in early." She finished her comic then folded her paper and placed it on her desk.

"Good, cause I have some questions for you." Sango said slyly.

"I figured you'd say that." Kagome laughed and they both sat and talked for the next hour. Sango was so interested she didn't even worry about her experiment.

"I do have one question of my own." Kagome was looking over at the shelves that now held cage upon cage of rats.

"Oh, them?" Sango said after taking note of Kagome's gaze. "I just made a breakthrough, and the rats are for my new experimentation." She explained.

"Sounds good, as long as I don't have to touch them." Kagome said, she was a chicken when it came to rats. Which was funny seeing as she was a science research specialist. They got to work after Sango got the scoop on the whole InuYasha/Koga dating thing. Not that she really needed to know, but it was fun to be girly every now and again.

They both fell silent, each working diligently on their own sides of the office. Sango had run her initial tests on all of her rats, and then spent an hour observing their habits. She took notes. Kagome had joined her at one point and suggested naming them; after all it was boring calling them subject A, subject B, subject C, and so on. It took them all the time from then till lunchtime to finally decide suitable names for all 45 rats. Kagome's stomach had just growled loudly making both girls laugh when there was a knock at the door. Kagome and Sango exchanged looks and then Sango beamed her face lighting up like a 1000 watt light bulb. "It's for you," She mouthed and Kagome groaned inwardly. Couldn't he just accept defeat and leave her alone? She got up, nonetheless, and went to the door. She gave herself a moment to calm her nerves and think of a witty remark. Then knowing she couldn't postpone it any longer she opened the door.

He stood there dressed casually and wearing his trademark smirk. She really hadn't missed that cocky face. She was, in fact, just recovering from the pain it caused her, but now that was all ruined. Kagome stepped out closing the door behind her. She really didn't need Sango listening in on their conversation, which would only make it worse when she lost.

"Hello," He greeted her politely, and that's when the overwhelming urge to hit him came rushing back at her like high tide. It was a fond feeling, she realized.

"Can I help you?" She asked wanting nothing more than to be struck by lightening. Not that she had that kind of luck, but a girl could hope.

"I came by to check on you," He seemed concerned but Kagome wasn't going to fall for his façade, despite the heavenly reminder of his little gift. "Sango said you were really sick yesterday."

"Yeah, stomach flu." Kagome lied smoothly, and she actually felt remotely bad for it. Though she wasn't quite sure why. It could just be the mocha cappuccino talking.

"You look like you're doing better now," He commented. Kagome saw a hint of a smile as if he almost didn't believe her.

"I am actually, thanks for your concern; doctor said all I needed was a little java. Thanks for that by the way, you didn't have to though." Her voice was sickly sweet with sarcasm. She turned to go, "I should probably get back to work now."

"Nope, you're not getting away that easily." He said taking her hand where it rested on the door knob. She glared up at him and tried pulling her hand from his grasp, which was near impossible since he had a death grip on it.

"And exactly why not?" She asked indignantly.

"You owe me," He said with a full blown smirk now gracing his face. "Besides you and I both know you didn't have a stomach flu yesterday."

"Excuse me?" Her voice went up an octave at being caught. How had he known? Not that she hadn't been totally obvious by her previous sarcasm.

"What, did you fart?" He asked his eyes dancing with glee. Kagome was lit with anger, but as ready as she was to bash his head in she was even closer to tears.

"Ha!" She let out a short humorless bark of laughter, but her voice wavered betraying her, "Someone has on their smarty pants, I see." She spat the words at him and he laughed back at her, he clearly knew the effect he had on her. And he was clearly using his powers for evil. She hadn't gotten this worked up over a guy since Jr high. She couldn't believe she was getting ready to cry in front of him. There was something about that arrogant demeanor that brought out the worst in her.

She pushed her malicious thoughts aside and denied her body the right to cry. Gaining all the composure she could muster she faced him and asked the one question that she hoped would solve her problems.

"What is it you want from me?" She glared daggers up at him loathing him for doing this to her. She kept her emotions in check, however.

"I want a date." He answered simply, it sounded easy enough, but she'd rather die. Kagome thought for a moment then came back with.

"So I suggest you take a personal add." She smiled triumphantly and he laughed hard.

"Well," He replied after his laughter had died down, "unless by some miracle you plan on reading that add and agree to meet me, I don't think that would work out for me." InuYasha explained it too her as if he was explaining about the birds and the bees.

"Now then, aren't you selfish?" Kagome declared, she was growing so frustrated, she hardly new why she was putting up a fight anymore.

"What is it about me that you find so appalling?" He wanted to know, though he wasn't sure how bad he wanted to know. He almost hoped she'd be kind about it.

"Do you mean aside from the pigheaded smirk you are constantly walking around with and the fact that you think you can own anyone? Well mister High and mighty I'll just have you know that you're an insolent fool for thinking you could ever one up me, oh and your overbearing and overly convinced of your own superiority, for some reason you've got your head stuck up your ass, and you're so conceited that your ego can't even breath in the undersized walnut you call a brain." She let him have it and didn't stop for a breath until she'd let it all out. She thought about her words for a second making sure he knew good and well how she felt about him, and she was pretty sure he got the point. "And that is what I find appalling about you."

InuYasha stood shocked and immobilized. He was surprised by her wide vocabulary. It was actually kind of funny. Almost like what a protagonist in a romantic comedy would say after finding out that whomever she was in love with had just lied to her. Not that he was familiar with romantic comedies.

"Ouch," Was all he was capable of saying coherently.

"Now will you leave me alone?" Kagome wanted to know.

"Are you sure you weren't an English major?" He asked instead.

"Don't you get it?!" She yelled exasperated. She knew by now she'd already lost her marbles. If she wasn't so close to winning she would have just quit then. Gave in and give him lunch, but she was too hardheaded for that.

"Maybe you could explain it to me, because I didn't really catch all of that stuff you just said, it was a little rushed I think, you could probably rehearse it and try again tomorrow." He suggested. "You could work on it over some lunch; I'll help give you pointers."

"NO!" Kagome shouted on the verge of pulling out her hair.

"Why not?" He was so sincere; all he wanted was one lunch. He was curious as to what made this girl so stubborn, why she was so defensive. He wanted to explore every detail of her intricate mind.

Kagome thought for a moment contemplating just giving in. She figured she'd tried her best, but she still had one plan. It was a fool proof plan and she probably should have just started with this one. She didn't like the idea of using her friend like she intended to, but it was her only hope.

"Look, even if I wanted to, I can't" She looked in his eyes which seemed to have lost some of their fight.

"Oh? And why is that?" He quirked an eyebrow and gave her a knowing smile.

"Well, you see, you were right about me." She smiled at his confused expression.

"You've lost me," He confessed.

"I wasn't sick yesterday." She smiled ruefully. "I spent the day with my boyfriend." The words were out before she had a chance to decide if this was really the right thing to do; was she that desperate to avoid one lunch date? "What I'm saying is that I have a boyfriend, and he wouldn't like it." She felt victorious when it came out sounding legit.

He was silent for a long moment a torn look plastered on his face before it became expressionless. "I don't believe you," He reasoned. Kagome almost got to her knees and begged to the gods for some mercy, but it wasn't like they were listening. Otherwise she'd have already been struck by a bolt of lightening.

"Are you saying I'm lying?" Kagome was taken aback.

"Yeah, pretty much." He shrugged. "Look, if you can prove to me you have a boyfriend and you spent yesterday with him then I'll leave you alone." He offered, but that was only half of the bargain, "But if you're lying, like I'm pretty sure you are, then you owe me..." He thought for a moment on a fair deal, "...a week of lunch and one date, next Saturday."

Kagome debated the agreement and then took his outstretched hand. They sealed their deal and she sealed her fate. She knew for sure she could win, at least half of the deal. She did, after all, spend yesterday with Koga, no matter if he was her boyfriend or not. If she happened to lose and had to admit to being only friends with Koga, she could still minimize the dates from six to one by not lying about staying at his place for one night and half a day.

Kagome gave him a slight nod then turned to return to her work. She didn't get very far however, because InuYasha took her arm and pulled her back around to face him. Her eyes narrowed as she glared up at him.

"What?" She snapped, her chin defiantly pushed into the air.

"Where are you going?" He wanted to know, he risked a smirk which she instantly huffed at.

"Back to work," It was the obvious answer that had him giving her a reprimanding shake of his head.

"No, you're not," He astonished her by his words and her glared turned to a grimace. "I want to meet him now." InuYasha knew she wasn't going to like it, but he didn't want to give her the time to set up a guy who could pretend to be her boyfriend.

"Now?" She stuttered a bit her voice wavering. "...but, he's at work." Kagome claimed making him give her an amused look.

"I'm sure he won't mind," InuYasha assumed, "after all, I am your boss." He knew he had her under duress, and she definitely couldn't weasel her way out of this one. Now all he had to do was pray that she was the liar he'd made her out to be.

Kagome being ever rebellious tried to come up with an excuse not to take her boss to meet Koga. Koga would be so confused he'd give it away immediately. Kagome cursed the crude box she'd trapped herself in. She could have just gone to lunch with him once, now she was going to have to go to lunch with him 5 times and then go on a date with him. "Let me give him a call, and make sure we don't take him by surprise." Kagome took out her cell phone from her pocket and moved away a little. She didn't wait for him to reply instead just dialed the number and waited for Koga to pick up.

Kagome received a slight shock when Hakkaku picked up the phone. "Hey Hakkaku, its Kagome," there was a pause and Kagome looked at InuYasha. He stood a few feet away staring at her as if he could hear every part of the conversation.

"Oh, hey Kagome, how are you?" There was a loud shout in the background and Kagome could tell they were busy. Too bad her boss didn't know the meaning of the word.

"Is Koga around?" Kagome paced for a few moments when Hakkaku put the phone down in order to go find him. She thought to herself about how she was going to pull this off. How was Koga going to go along with it, if she couldn't explain it to him? With InuYasha watching her every move it was impossible. She thought about it but her thoughts were broken by the voice of her friend.

"Kagome?" His voice sounded concerned, "What is it?"

Kagome thought for a moment and then just decided to make it up as she went, "Hey baby, are you busy?" he was quiet for a moment as if contemplating her greeting.

"Not if you need me," He replied sweetly, and she knew he would help her.

Kagome turned to InuYasha and gave him an award winning smile. "Well see, my boss would like to meet you." Kagome kept her voice normal but hoped Koga could take a hint.

"What? Why?" He clearly wasn't getting it.

She laid the desperation on with her next comment. "You want the truth?" Kagome smirked she finally figured a way around InuYasha's foolish try at making her admit she was lying.

There was a moment of silence and she could tell Koga was trying to decide if he did or not. "If that would help," He joked, still a little lost.

"Well, my boss wants a date with me and I told him my boyfriend wouldn't like that too much." Kagome made sure to add a little umph to the 'b' word and by the long silence on the other line she figured he'd got her drift, finally.

"Kagome, honey, I'm not sure I have time." He looked around him and saw the jam packed bar, it was impossible to tell how long the bikers would be here.

"I know. Look all you have to do is meet him. Then once I've shown him I'm not lying we'll be good and he'll leave me alone." Kagome pleaded with him, mostly to give InuYasha a show.

"Okay Kagome, but we'll need to talk about this tonight; I'll come to your place after hours." Koga growled and it almost sounded legit. "I'm not sure I'm going to like you working at that place if your boss is hitting on you!" Kagome turned and smiled, Koga really was a life saver.

"I know babe, no worries!" She turned back to InuYasha and her smile grew in victory, and then adding a bit extra she added "I love you! Bye!" and she hung up.

"Are we ready then?" InuYasha gave her a look, and she almost frowned at his determination. He still didn't believe her! Not that she cared, even if she was lying to him, he'd never find out.

"Let me grab my coat," Kagome went back into her office and gave Sango and exasperated look. How could he be such a pain?

"You got rid of him?!" She seemed a bit surprised. Kagome went to her desk and grabbed the coat that hung over the back of her chair.

"You look surprised almost as if you're on his side," Kagome gave her a warning look.

"No, never, but does this mean you're going on a date with him?" Sango got up curiosity getting the best of her.

"Sadly for him, no, and I'll be rid of him soon enough!" She smiled happily and walked out the door. He looked her over and she broadened her smile. "All ready."

"Good." They walked slowly, and InuYasha tried to make conversation but Kagome just ignored him, she didn't want to like him! As they reached the doors Kagome picked up her pace and turned right as they walked out. "Ah ah ah," He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.

"What now?" She threw her hands into the air for exaggeration and he only smirked.

He pulled a set of keys from his pocket. "I'm driving." He jingled them in the air and took her hand. He pulled her in the opposite direction while she objected.

"But you don't know the way!" She shouted, she wanted to be free. "What if I drive my car and you drive in yours?!" But he refused to let her go and merely dragged her across the parking lot till they reached the reserved parking.

"You can show me, and no." He replied to her pointless ranting and he opened the passenger door to his red mustang. She looked at the car in awe. She'd always loved sports cars, and had only ridden in a porche once in her life. It would be a nice change to her SUV. She got in muttering under her breath about how obscene he was being and how her 'boyfriend' was going to kick the ever living shit out of him. Not that he cared. Her ranting only made him smirk and laugh. He walked around the car with an air about him as if he were floating. His happiness bubbled into the car and as he fired up the engine he started humming the tune of a song she couldn't quite name.

Kagome gave him directions, waiting till the last possible second to tell him where to turn and when to stop. It was enjoyable on her part and annoying on his, but he only continued on humming and driving and occasionally sending her small smiles. As they pulled into the parking lot at the Akuda Bar, Kagome huffed. She didn't like being chauffeured around. She got out of the car as soon as it was parked, she didn't see the point in waiting on him to get the door. She didn't need any more reasons to like him.

She headed to the back door not bothering to wait and walk with him. She went in the loud music blasting her as she opened the door. The hard smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke came up to meet her at the door. She gave a slight cough and went in. InuYasha was on her heals again as she entered the bar and went straight to Koga. She threw herself at him to avoid the questions he was about to ask, and just for InuYasha's sake she locked their lips pulling Koga into a deep kiss. She felt him tense up and then realization hit and he was kissing her back. It was a weird feeling and she felt bad for taking advantage of their friendship like she was. She pulled away and gave him a look.

He pulled her into a big bear hug and she almost soundlessly whispered. "Just play along."

He seemed to understand and greeted her, "Hey babe," he wrapped his arm around her waist and held her to him. He knew he shouldn't fool himself, Kagome didn't mean any of the things she was doing, but he found he couldn't help but allow himself the enjoyment. The taste of her lips was still on his own. "You guys wanna get a table, and I'll be right out?" He looked down at her askance and she nodded. He turned his gaze to InuYasha and extended his hand. "I'm Koga by the way."

"InuYasha, nice to meet you." They shook hands and InuYasha stared hard at Koga for a long moment. Koga instantly sensed the jealousy of the other man. Koga knew the feeling well.

"Ok then," Kagome smiled after the long silence, "we'll get a booth and wait for you!" She grabbed InuYasha's arm and pulled him along behind her. Pushing her way through the crowd of bikers, Kagome led them to her favorite booth in the far corner. It was her favorite because it was close to the jukebox and she loved listening to the old time music that the motorists often chose to play.

They sat and were only left alone for a moment when Hakkaku came up. "Hey Kagome, back again I see." She smiled at him and he looked to InuYasha. "Is this a friend of yours?"

"Yes, my boss InuYasha," Kagome gave him a quick introduction, and then moved on. "You waiting on us?"

"Yeah what can I get you?" Hakkaku handed her a drink menu and she passed it on to InuYasha, she already knew what she wanted.

"I'll take a jack, double no ice." Kagome knew it was early but she was on edge with InuYasha in her favorite bar and she wasn't sure how this thing was going to go. She promised herself only one and knew it would be unwise to do more than that. Hakkaku shot her a concerned look and she giggled. "Don't worry, Koga knows, and I promise I'll only have one."

"I have your word?" He smirked, "Not that I don't love covering extra shifts for you and Koga and all, but I'm running on empty with only 3 hours of sleep."

Kagome smiled and felt a bit bad for the man, but his confession had to be doing something good for her story she told InuYasha. "Yes, on my honor, I won't get you into any more trouble." She gave a dramatic sigh and looked to InuYasha, who was still looking over his choices. She heard him laugh slightly at her words and she wondered what was so funny.

"You look like you're doing better by the way." He smiled; glad she was ok after last night.

"Thanks," InuYasha seemed to hear his words and something seemed to click for him, almost as if he thought she was actually telling the truth and then he grimaced.

"And for you?" Hakkaku turned to InuYasha his pen poised over his pad of paper ready to write the order.

He 'hmm'd' for a second then decided, "I'll take a left handed screw driver," it was a bar after all and he could drink if he wanted to.

"Ok then I'll go get those for you and be back in just a few." Hakkaku left and Kagome almost visibly relaxed. She knew it would only take a few words out of Hakkaku for her boss to figure out where she really was yesterday.

"So you were here yesterday?" InuYasha was quick and Kagome almost didn't catch on.

"No, actually two nights ago, I was here to wait for Koga to get off shift." Kagome lied, but it was only a little one, no one would ever know.

"So that's how Hakkaku knew you were sick?" InuYasha quirked his eyebrow and inclined his head.

Kagome nodded, "And the fact that Koga took off work yesterday to stay with me," Kagome went on with her lie, after all what could it hurt?

"I see," Was InuYasha's insightful response, "So you come here often?" For some reason he was still suspicious and Kagome wondered if he always would be. It didn't seem to matter what she said, he still didn't seem to buy her act.

"Yea, I am, actually almost every day." Kagome didn't lie this time, she didn't mind the trivial questions, and it was just the ones that made her a liar that bothered her.

"Well then," He smiled a devious smile "I'm sure you'll be able to advise me on what's good to eat here."

"I can do that," She looked around, wondering what was taking Koga so long. Hakkaku stopped by to drop of their drinks and then was on to another table. She wasn't worried about him they would eat soon. She took her drink and almost threw the entire two shots back but resisted. She took a large gulp and then placed the half empty glass back on its coaster. InuYasha gave her a shocked look. He'd never seen a woman drink so boldly and Kagome didn't even flinch at the after taste. To distract himself he pulled a menu from the holder at the edge of their table. He looked it over but Kagome just gave a short laugh.

"You'll want the Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich, it's to die for!" She smiled, a genuine smile that she didn't even mean to give him, it just slipped. She found him easy to be with and wondered what it was about him that made him so easy to talk to. That was when she wasn't arguing with him. She took this time to actually notice how comfortable he was sitting there across from her. He was dressed casually, a pair of worn in jeans, a vintage band t-shirt advertising an old The Who band, and a pinstriped over-shirt that was left unbuttoned. He looked good, and she hated noticing that minor fact.

"That sounds great." He folded the menu no longer needing it and laid it aside.

From across the bar Koga stood cleaning a shot glass and watching Kagome and her boss. He could see the way they flirted and even if Kagome didn't know it yet she was into him. Koga sighed and put the glass aside. He looked up again after a few minutes and watched them talk. Then Kagome did something he'd only seen a few times, she smiled the most radiant smile he'd ever seen. This guy didn't know how lucky he was, and Kagome didn't know how deep she already was. She was falling and by the way they were chatting happily, it wouldn't take long for her to crash.

Koga sighed; he'd done it again and let the girl of his dreams slip right through his fingers. Koga watched for a few more minutes then clocked out for his lunch break and went over to sit with them. He slid into the seat next to Kagome and gave her a kiss on the cheek. It was something he'd always wanted to do and he was going to use this boyfriend act to his advantage.

Kagome looked up at him and smiled, he watched her as she sipped on her jack and gave her a disapproving look. "Only one, I promise."

"You don't even need that after yesterday." He watched her push it aside, he knew she was upset about the way she had acted. There was even a part of her that regretted telling him about her past, he could tell by the way she glumly stared at the table.

She perked up and smiled again. "No more, I've had enough anyway, you're right." InuYasha gave the couple a weird look, there was definitely something between the two, but InuYasha knew it wasn't that kind of relationship.

"So, how long have you known each other?" InuYasha got their attention and they both traded a glance.

"Our parents were friends; we've known each other since we were six." Koga explained he knew Kagome would have preferred him to lie, but it's not like it was a big important question.

InuYasha watched him for signs of lying but saw none. "How long have you been dating?" This time Kagome answered.

"Actually we've been dating for a month or so." She gave Koga a playful nudge and InuYasha was almost sick by the cuteness of the pair. Yet still he felt that he was being played.

Koga wrapped his arm around Kagome and pulled her closer to him, suddenly protective. InuYasha didn't get the chance to comment on this because Hakkaku came back around. "Have you decided what you all want?"

InuYasha ordered first. "I'll take the Philly cheese steak sandwich, with a side of fries." Kagome was next, "Give me the breaded tenderloin with chips." And Koga passed; he'd eaten at this bar so many times none of the food on the menu looked appetizing.

"I thought you said the Philly was the best Kagome." InuYasha gave her a smirk after Hakkaku walked away.

"Well, maybe I lied." She met his smirk with one of her own. She hadn't really lied, but it was fun to tease him.

"She's not lying," Koga took away her fun, "It is the best, and Kagome gets it every time she's here."

Kagome laughed at the two as they looked at her curiously. Clearly she knew more than she was letting on. "What?? Maybe I just need some change!" But they weren't buying it. Kagome let out a heavy sigh, mainly for theatrical purposes, but her plan was working out nicely. She needed to get away and inform Hakkaku of her situation. He might spill the beans at any turn. "Look boys, if you really care that much about what I eat I'll go tell Hakkaku to switch my order," She waited for a reaction but they were both frozen in place looking at her as if she had suddenly grown two heads and was speaking gibberish. "Very well, now if you don't mind, I'm going to go to the ladies room, I'll be right back." Koga took her hint and stood up so she could get out. She left them there and went to find Hakkaku; he had to know that he couldn't say anything.

She didn't need him ruining this for her. She was surprised he hadn't already figured it out. Though she must admit Koga was doing a good job on his end. Her face darkened for a moment wondering why he wasn't just up and spilling the beans himself, it didn't seem like him to lie to a total stranger. Thoughts raced through her head as she debated what his reasons for backing her up on this one was, and one thought in particular stuck out. She'd told him her deepest secret and he'd taken that to mean she trusted him on a whole new level and now he felt he needed to repay her for that act. Not that that was how she felt—she owed him—it was all her fault for lying to him in the first place.

Kagome pushed aside her overactive thoughts and headed back to the kitchen. She knew Hakkaku would be there, turning in an order, or just waiting around allowing the time to pass and his shift to slowly come to an end. She passed the dish room without a second glance and moved into the main kitchen in a hurry. She smiled at the workers and they all gave her approving glances that suggested more than what she wanted to think about. She ignored their looks and went to the little waiter/waitress area. Hakkaku was going through his tickets and seemed to be marking the prices down for the cashier. He was instantly aware of her presence and turned his confused expression to her.

"What is it Kagome?" He was casual and she knew he didn't seem bothered by her order as the other two men at her table had.

Kagome glanced around the small room and when she saw no other server present she spoke, "I need your help," The tremble in her lip had been accidental, but it showed her true worry.

Hakkaku instantly frowned curiosity making him lift one eyebrow in wonder. "What is it?" He prompted her contemplating the look on her face.

Not bothering with any crazy delays she just jumped into her situation. "The man out there that I came with, he's my boss," She paused for a moment watching his face to make sure he was following her, "Well, he wants to date me and I said no," She huffed remembering his determined face, "He didn't understand that I just don't like to date, so I lied to him and told him Koga and I were dating," Hakkaku seemed to react to this more bemused, he smiled at Kagome's distraught story. "Well, he still doesn't believe me, so if you could possibly help me out a little that would be great." Kagome radiated disdain.

He laughed at her for a moment, "Yes Kagome I'll lie for you," He thought of the ridiculous things the girl before him would do in order to avoid one date.

Kagome accepted his response, she was just glad he hadn't refused, "Thanks so much, you have no idea how much this means to me," She smiled up at him and continued after a moment. "Ok, so just don't say anything to him, unless he asks, we've been dating for a month, and that's all you know."

He nodded turning to occupy his hands again with his tickets. "Is that all?" He asked when she still hadn't left.

She thought for a moment making sure it was all legit, "Oh, can you change my order to my usual please?" Kagome was on her way out after a slight nod from him.

She stopped by the bathroom as a way to pass a little more time. She had no reason to want to go back and sit with her boss and 'boyfriend'. She watched them both from across the room, wondering all the while what it was they were talking about. They both seemed visibly relaxed and she hoped they'd both stay that way. She crossed the room and as she neared the table Koga moved over enough for her to take a seat.

She sat close next to him, trying her best to seem flirty. She wasn't used to being this uncomfortable around Koga; normally everything with them was just laughing and joking. However, she knew it was necessary in order for her to get her boss off her shoulders.

The meal was delivered in no time and he and Kagome were eating away as Koga told stories. Inu Yasha watched as the couple seamlessly flirted and gave him details of their past. Both of them laughing each time a funny memory popped up. He never got the full explanation but found by the end of the hour he no longer wanted it. He'd seen enough. He still didn't believe that Koga was her boyfriend, but if she was trying this hard to get rid of him then he didn't want anything to do with her. He was annoyed at himself for wanting to hate her. He felt disdain grow in the pit of his stomach and a matching expression was plastered to his face. He looked away as Koga swiftly leaned down and gave her a kiss.

"I've got to get back to work." He excused himself and InuYasha watched him go waiting for something to say. He gave Kagome a sad look knowing that she was in fact lying to him. He could smell her relief all over her.

"Did you enjoy your lunch?" She offered a kind smile that he didn't return. He was going to make her regret lying to him. He knew she was much too nice to live down the guilt she would feel later. Unless of course he had it all wrong and she and Koga were in fact dating.

"You were right," She paused and looked up from the table a look of victory covering her face. "It was very tasty, I enjoyed it." He pulled his napkin off his lap and laid it over the table, "You can take the rest of the day off, I'll take you back to get your car but then you may go home."

She seemed shocked and he wondered if he'd heaped enough guilt on her for her to admit it right away. "I couldn't do that, I've not been working there long enough to take days off, and I just had a day off yesterday," She gave him a confused look; he wondered if she knew what he was playing at.

"Because you were sick." InuYasha crossed his arms across his chest giving her a challenging smirk, "were you not?"

"Well yes, but still, what about Sango?" Kagome was grasping at straws. "I didn't finish up paper work due today, and she's expecting me to come back."

InuYasha wouldn't budge, he knew he had her on the verge but she was still trying very hard. He knew it wouldn't take very long for her to break, especially if she was left to think about her plot for a few extra hours. He gave her another hard look, "Maybe you could take this time to spend with your _boyfriend_." The last word was like acid on his tongue and he knew the sound of his voice had been one of betrayal. She looked down to the table and for a moment he thought he'd won. Then she raised her chin and haughtily pressed her nose high in the air.

"Don't bother taking me back to work, I'll have Koga go with me to retrieve my car later," She was mad now he could see; indignantly she got up and left the table. He sat in shock for a moment, his plan had backfired. He thought about going after her but knew she would only resist his apology. Then where would he be? Back to square one. Groveling and begging for a date. He scoffed himself; he'd been a fool, if he'd have just told her straight up how he felt instead of trying to entrap her. How did he feel? He wondered if he'd have just asked her in the first place if she would have said yes. He'd never know now, would he? He was left to brood until the waiter—what was his name?—came around to pick up the plates.

"Where's Kagome?" InuYasha asked the waiter as he was turning to leave.

"She left," He stated, and InuYasha grumbled under his breath.

"I'll take the check I guess." InuYasha moved to pull out his wallet.

"No need, she covered it." With that he walked off. Now InuYasha was really mad. She had left him here with not one word. He got up and went to find Koga. Koga wasn't the least bit happy to see him.

"What did you say to her?" his harsh tone reflected his feelings.

InuYasha let his shoulders drop feeling like the asshole he was. "Where did she go?"

InuYasha heard Koga curse beneath his breath then turn from him to fill a quick order. "She took my truck, I'm not sure where she's headed, she told me she'd be back to pick me up after shift."

InuYasha felt like an idiot, knowing his plan had not only backfired but led to something more, now he knew he was responsible for what was going on. "Do you have any idea as to where she'd go?" InuYasha knew Koga and Kagome weren't dating, After all why else would Koga give him this chance to go after her instead of going after her himself?

"Her house, or the park, both are likely possibilities, and if you don't find her there call me." He could tell by the tone Koga had used that Kagome had done this before. He grabbed a match book that had the business address and phone number on the front and tossed it to InuYasha

"Okay thanks man." InuYasha headed out the door and went to his truck. Now he had some butt kissing of his own to do. He headed to the park, it seemed more ideal than her apartment, though he still wasn't sure how he was supposed to find her. He was driving down the road before it struck him that he had no idea what Koga's truck looked like.

End Chapter

AN: Come on you know you want to leave a review! More to come soon! The next update may take some time, i've reached a small snag in the plot, but until then enjoy this!

Spoiler Chapter Five Guilty As Charged

InuYasha is off chasing Kagome to find her and say sorry, all the while Kagome is trying hard not to let her guilty conscience get the best of her and allow her to break down. Will his apology set off her guilty conscience and leave them with 6 dates left to be had?


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha nuff said.

AN: ok so sorry the update was a little later but here it is I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Thanks for all the great reviews so far, leave more to keep me happy! Heh.

Chapter Five Guilty As Charged

Word Count: 6299

There were very few places in the city that Kagome found comforting. She'd been moving around California for the past few months and now that she had finally found a job she liked she was going to have to leave. Her boss was the cause. Or at least that's what she wanted to believe. Really it was Kikyo. If it weren't for her haunted past and the possibility that Kikyo would spoil her new job life would be great. She was surprised to admit to herself that she enjoyed InuYasha's company and even thought he was exceedingly handsome. She would surely date him, but how could she? The minute she started to enjoy her life Kikyo would come along and ruin it. It didn't help that he wouldn't give up on her. It made her wonder if he gave this much effort with every woman he pursued.

She caught her reflection in the rearview mirror of Koga's truck. It wasn't like she was an exquisite beauty. Her dark grey eyes were pretty enough. Her long brown hair was thick and smooth. Her face was young and soft. But she was certainly no beauty. Passably pretty at the very least. Why was he so interested in her? Why couldn't he just get over his silly notions to date her and leave her to suffer alone? Now that she had asked herself she realized that she didn't want him too. She didn't want to suffer her horrifying past alone, nor bear her future alone. However, with Kikyo's constant place in her life she could only count on the loneliness. It was what she deserved after all.

She pulled into an empty parking space at the park. It was the only place she ever felt fully at peace. Even before last summer she had come here all of the time to relax and enjoy the silence. She could be free here. She could let everything go. There were no worries about the past, or Kikyo, or her job when she was here. She stepped from the truck and trekked across soft damp grass till she reached a nearby swing set. She examined the four swings checking to make sure they were stable. She slumped down into the center swing closest to the truck and pushed off lightly setting herself into motion.

Again her thoughts strayed to InuYasha. She wouldn't admit to herself that she felt guilty. Lying was one thing she wasn't good at doing, which was probably why InuYasha hadn't believe a thing she'd told him all day. Not that she thought that was a bad thing. She knew InuYasha hadn't bought her foolish ploy. It was childish of her to try and avoid a single date. He was just so annoyingly pompous and overbearing that she had lost it. She could scarcely remember what it was that had angered her.

Surely it was the way he tried to make her admit her guilt. Or was it that smug and bitter face he'd used to frown down at her as if she were a child. Possibly it was the way he was still trying to entrap her into a relationship that she didn't want to be in. Did he honestly think that she would date him just because he caught her in a lie? Despite the deal they had made. After those first 6 dates—if Kagome gave in at the end of this day—Kagome would have no choice but to quit her job, go somewhere else, and start all over again.

Though, the guilt of her lie and the knowledge that she'd have to quit her job soon wasn't the only thing weighing down her shoulders. She had kissed Koga earlier and that was deceitful. She knew she was a terrible friend. How would this little episode affect their friendship? She had no idea what to expect. How did Koga feel about her using him in such a way? She knew how she would have felt if their roles had been reversed. She felt guilt for betraying him. It would be her fault if Koga never wanted to speak to her after all of this blew over. Though, she couldn't quite see Koga breaking off their friendship. The overwhelming guilt she was experiencing had left her with a few options.

As she thought about her circumstances further she came to a few conclusions. She would admit to InuYasha that she had lied to him—there was no point in going on with the pointless lies, this would free her of some guilt. She would not accept a date with him—deal or no deal. She would be putting in her two weeks notice on Monday—sooner if she went back to work today. She would apologize to Koga and hope their relationship wouldn't be ruined—if it were, then she would understand and leave him alone. Then she would start looking for a new job—hopefully one half as good as the one she had now.

She had made all of the decisions she wanted to for one day. For a while she contemplated on not going back to work, but then that would be stupid. She wouldn't skip out on work because she was trying to avoid her boss. She would finish up the day and on Monday she would put in her notice. She had made up her mind. She stood up and turned fully expecting to go about her day as normally as possible but she stumbled upon the one person in the world she never wanted to see, for he always brought with him bad news.

(Insert Line Break)

It was a long drive from the Akuda Bar to the nearest park. InuYasha hoped he had the right one, after all Koga hadn't been specific enough. Koga must really like Kagome. After all he wasn't making it all that easy for InuYasha to find her. He parked his car and got out to check the area. He searched first by a set of picnic tables. She was no where in sight. He searched for her for a long time checking every play set in the area, but the park was big. He walked quickly over a hill and found another area of the park, it seemed to have been divided up and styled differently in each section. He stepped over a divider and into a patch of mulch.

There were a few hills off to his left and a slope ahead of him. To his right there was another play set. He went straight. As he reached to edge of the hill he spotted her. A few hundred feet from a small parking lot was a single set of swings. It had four swings and in one of the middle two seats Kagome was perched. He'd found her. He took note of the white ford f150 in the parking lot, the only vehicle there. It must be Koga's, he thought to himself. He stood at the top of the hill watching her. She didn't notice him and he was preparing in his mind what he planned to tell her. How was he going to apologize?

He watched as she sat rigidly still in her swinging seat. Her face was lit by the sun and looked invitingly warm. He couldn't stop his feelings about her. He'd already asked himself several times over what it was about her that drew him to her. It wasn't something he could control. So he didn't bother trying. He'd been taught by his father to act on impulses, it just so happened that Kagome was one impulse he was unsure how to exploit.

He finally decided as he watched her silently composed in her seat that he would part ways with her. He would leave her alone unless he found one ounce of doubt in her about going on a date with him. Maybe he had just approached her the wrong way so she'd sworn him off permanently. He would have to change her mind about him being a pervert in the least. She had to know that he wasn't like that normally. He was about to advance down the hill and to her when she rose suddenly. She turned in the direction opposite of him and stopped just as quickly. Her posture was rigid and uncomfortable and when InuYasha looked to where her attention was caught he noticed the other person standing opposite her. The strangest part was that person was no stranger to him.

Sango sat contentedly at her desk going over a printout of her results from the mornings testing. She was scanning the charts half-heartedly, anxiously awaiting Kagome's return. She was impatient to find out just what Kagome was planning. It had to be something good; she wouldn't agree to go on a date with InuYasha, would she? Sango was sure that Kagome was probably trying to get rid of InuYasha by showing him some terrible habit. Sango had to admit, the girl was a bit excessive when it came to avoiding things she didn't like. She wondered again if it were possible for Kagome to have just given in and taken the single lunch date. Sango brushed it off; after all when Kagome had left she seemed as if she had a plan of her own.

She had been eager to expand her thoughts on the subject, but she came across a snag in her results. One of her rats, Henry—Sango found she was fond of the naming of her rats, it made it easy to remember which one is which—had not shown the same reaction to the doses of the infection that all the others in test B had. She got up from her desk and went over to her wall of rats. She found Henry, a fluffy white rat in the last column of row B. She observed all of the other rats in that same row. They all seemed sluggish, as if they were incoherent; some even appeared to be sleeping the one thing they all had in common was their lack of fur. Henry was up running in his ball. Sango wondered for a moment why.

She had infected all of the test row B rats this morning with an infection that should have all of them shedding hair and sleeping almost constantly. Henry was doing neither of the two. He was up in his wheel getting some exercise. Curious she watched him for a while. She thought back to this morning and remembered clearly infecting every single test subject in row B. Even Henry, she remembered well, he had been squirmy.

She 'hmm'd' to herself confused beyond belief. She hadn't even gone through and given them the doses of her specimens to test for a cure. That's when she noticed Wendy. In Row A, Wendy was a grey rat, or she had been before all of her hair had fallen out. Now she only had a few spare clumps and seemed to be uncomfortably nestled in the corner of her cage. Sango felt stupidly irresponsible. She had placed her rats into the wrong cages. Her relief flooded through her, after all a rat immune to a deadly infection would be monumental.

She took notes on Wendy and Henry and then, keeping them secluded, she switched them back to the correct cages. She went back to her desk and finished up reading over her results paperwork. She was sure Kagome was back when she heard faint footsteps in the hall outside of their office. There was a long pause at the door and Sango wondered if InuYasha had walked her back to her office. It had been two minutes since the approaching footsteps and Sango couldn't hear voices beyond the door. She stood and walked around her desk, but before she arrived at her door there was a knock. Sango stopped for a moment confused. It definitely wasn't Kagome.

Sango went to the door and opened it and there on the other side was a girl who seemed to be a few years older than her. She had long dark hair and dark eyes. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm looking for Kagome." The girl glanced over Sango's shoulder into the empty room behind her.

"Kagome isn't here right now." Sango stepped closer to the girl blocking the view of the room.

The girl crossed her arms over her chest and jutted her hip just slightly. "Would you give her a message for me?"

Sango was a bit reluctant, "Who are you?"

"I'm a friend," It wasn't a real answer but Sango let it slide. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small notepad and pen. Handing it over to the girl she turned and glanced behind her at the clock. Speaking of Kagome she should have been back by now. What was she up to? The girl handed her the notepad and pen and then a small slip of paper she'd folded and quickly left without another word.

Kikyo grumbled as she made her way through LabTech's main lobby. She was furious with Kagome. After Kagome had given her the slip this morning—by leaving her home earlier than was expected—Kikyo had spent all morning searching for the girl. She hadn't expected to find her at work, so she checked all of the other usual places she could have been hiding. Finally, after searching all morning for her, Kikyo had decided to check her work. The lobbyist had informed her that she'd shown up for work, earlier than usual. What were the odds? Was it ever a wonder how you always found the thing you were looking for in the last place you look? So she'd gotten her office number and quick directions.

Kikyo was expecting to find her diligently working in her office and when she'd arrived she'd been cautious. She hadn't heard any sounds coming from within the room. She had debated just barging in, but what if Kagome was in a different part of the building. She had knocked instead. She didn't know why she was being sensible today, but for some reason her conscience was quickly catching up to her revenge. The girl who answered was not friendly. Or at least not to people she didn't know. The worst bit of news was to find that Kagome was not sitting behind her desk diligently working—as Kikyo had planned to find her. Kikyo had to know where the wretched girl had gone. After leaving the office—and after leaving Kagome a note—she went to the elevator and checked a small directory. Once she had the information that she wanted she had gone into the small shaft and hit the button for the fifth floor.

After that short trip she had found out where Kagome was, and it wasn't where she should be. Kagome was not allowed to have fun, and she was especially not allowed to date.

Kikyo found her keys in her purse and got into her car. If Kagome was going on a date it would be at one of two places. Kikyo started with the coffee shop on 82nd street. The tables had been mostly empty, the bathroom was spotless and empty as well. She had asked the saleslady at the register if she'd seen a girl of Kagome's description, but the girl was new and had no time to pay attention to what the customers looked like. That only left one place, unless her boss had picked their lunch destination, and then her search would be endless. She prayed they were at the Akuda bar.

Kikyo walked into the bar, the smell of smoke and alcohol filling her lungs. She grimaced at the smell. Bikers were filing out the back door and onto their motorcycles. She hoped she hadn't missed them. She wanted to be able to inform Kagome's boss of a few things. Secrets were never permitted in a relationship. Especially ones such as the ones Kagome was hiding. She spotted Koga behind the bar. She wondered momentarily if Kagome had told Koga about her past. He was the one person that Kikyo hadn't thought to tell. The one person Kagome still clung too. She wondered what secrets Kagome was keeping from him. He seemed busy. Kikyo meandered up to the bar and drew Koga's attention. He came to her after putting up a few shot glasses he'd been polishing.

"What can I get you?" He was polite, for a bartender.

"Do you know where Kagome is?" She didn't want a drink and there was no point in wasting time. She mine as well find out if Koga knew about her in the process.

"Who are you?" He wasn't stupid, too bad.

"You could say I'm a friend." Koga quirked his eyebrow in confusion, maybe he didn't know who she was.

Not giving him time to respond Kikyo leaned over the bar top and snatched the collar of his shirt. She pulled him to her till they were inches apart. "I need to know where Kagome is."

He pulled away from her and turned from her. "I haven't seen her today." His lie would have pulled through, but at that moment Hakkaku came around the bar and opened his big mouth.

"Damn Kagome left me a huge tip." Koga was going to pummel him, but Kikyo was faster.

"Where is Kagome?" Hakkaku looked up at her and frowned.

"I don't know, I think she left a while ago." Koga sent his friend a glare that he ignored.

"Do you know where she went?" Kikyo asked again.

"She didn't say." Hakkaku replied and at that Kikyo rose from her seat and left. Koga had a feeling that he knew who the girl was, and he was curious if she'd find Kagome. He had to stop that from happening.

Kagome stood across from her attorney, the man who—with her help—put her drug dealer behind bars. She was grateful for all the help he had offered, but every time he'd come to see her he'd always brought more bad news. First with the news about Kikyo, how she was the last living relative of the girl who Kagome had killed. Second with the news of the drug lord who sponsored her drug dealer. The third time he came with news about the man who had raped her—about how he'd gotten away. There had been countless other visits as the one she was receiving currently. Sesshomaru knew how to show up in the strangest places.

"What do you want this time?" She was more serious than sarcastic, she knew the man well enough to know he didn't bother unless it was of the utmost importance.

"You have some unfinished business." He was cool and calm just like she remembered him. The bad thing about this man was also the greatest thing about him. He never quit.

She moved back to her seat and slumped back into her previous seat. "What more is there to do?" She didn't want to seem burdened but life just kept throwing her curve balls.

He moved to the wooden pole holding up one side of the swing set and leaned into it. Kagome never seemed to get over his overbearing presence. She leaned back in her seat a bit to look over at him.

"One more trip to the witness stand is all, we finally tracked down that drug lord, and I need you to testify against him." Kagome's breath caught in her throat.

"Does this mean…" She started but her phone in her pocket began to ring. She glanced at her hip quickly but another distraction caught her attention.

InuYasha had seen enough. He'd only caught a few lines from the conversation taking place below, but it seemed as if his brother and Kagome had something between them. He didn't want to know. Only deep down inside he knew he did. He hurried down the hill and took no time to reveal himself.

"Sesshomaru what the hell are you doing here?" InuYasha joined them finishing their triangle by standing in front of Kagome. He glared at his arrogant older brother but he seemed unmoved. Damn him for being able to remain composed. If it was one thing in the word you could count on it was Sesshomaru's ability to control himself.

"Well, well, little brother, what are you doing here?" Sesshomaru uncrossed his arms and returned his balance to both feet.

"What? He's your brother?" Kagome looked to Sesshomaru in shock, "I should have guessed." Kagome rose to her feet and pulled the phone that was still ringing from her pocket. It was Koga. She silenced it and put it away, she'd call him back after this crazy conversation played out.

InuYasha stared down at Kagome in wonder. He only now realized he didn't know her at all. She was friends with his brother, and that was something he didn't know about his brother. He didn't have friends, yet he still knew Kagome. Unless, she was a client of his, but that didn't seem likely, Kagome wasn't in need of a lawyer, was she? The fact still remained that he didn't know.

"InuYasha, would you go away, Kagome and I are discussing something rather important." Sesshomaru seemed as top lofty as ever.

"No Sesshomaru it's alright, how about we meet sometime next week to discuss the details?" Kagome asked instead, she sensed that there was a bit of sibling rivalry between the two of them and she didn't want to be in the middle of it.

"Tuesday at four I'm free, I'll meet you somewhere, and I'll call you to work out the details on Monday. See you soon Kagome." And with that Sesshomaru was gone. He was such a mysterious man, and not in a good way. He seemed to give off vibes that warranted fear.

"Kagome, what is going on between you and my brother?" InuYasha needed to know, he hated being left out of the loop.

She looked away from him to stare at a particularly interesting rock that she hadn't noticed before. "It's not something I feel comfortable sharing with you InuYasha, I don't know you that well, and I don't intend to just tell you every detail of my life."

InuYasha debated arguing with her, but his efforts would have been futile. He let the questions about Kagome and his brother sink to a subconscious level in his brain and that sparked the memory of why he was chasing after her in the first place.

"Kagome I'm sorry. I went too far, I shouldn't have pressured you into going to lunch with me." He gave her a sincere smile.

She looked up to catch the last few moments of that magnificent smile and returned his smile. She couldn't just ignore it. "It was stupid of me to lie to you InuYasha, there are just too many complications in my life right now and dating will just be too much."

"I guess I can accept that, but would you tell me one thing?" She glanced up at him curiously as he stared down at her askance.

"What?"

He cleared his throat, unsure how to approach this next question. "Is there something going on between you and my brother? Cause seriously that would be way wrong." He didn't care if there was; at least that is what he told himself. He found himself desperate to know the answer, and when she didn't answer right away he grew doubtful that he'd ever have a chance with this girl. He could easily wait half a lifetime for this girl to be ready to date him.

"There is something between us, but not in a romantic way, he's my lawyer." She felt the need to reassure him that he still had a chance, even though she knew he didn't. What she hadn't been able to finish in her statement before the confusion of her phone ringing and InuYasha interrupting them, was that after the trial—in which she would help Sesshomaru by testifying against the drug lord—she could have to go into the witness protection program. It was a relief that they had tracked him down, and that the drug dealer she had turned in hadn't been as big as they thought, but now with a major drug lord out of the way, people were going to be after the one responsible. Kagome had known this would happen eventually.

"Oh, I see, well that's a relief." InuYasha visibly sighed. "Are you sure you don't want to just go get coffee with me sometime? No strings attached?"

She eyed him warily. "I'll get back to you on that one."

"It's a date." He winked at her. "Well I think we've skipped a good two hours of work, time to get back?"

She nodded, "Follow me? So I can drop Koga's truck off?"

"Sure thing, if I can find my car." He smirked again and she almost strangled him.

"I'll wait for you to pull around." They parted ways and Kagome headed to Koga's truck. She pulled out the cell phone and dial Koga to tell him she was okay and on her way to drop off his truck.

He picked up on the first ring and sounded distraught. "Kagome is everything okay? Did she find you?"

"Koga, what are you talking about?" She quirked an eyebrow, Koga sounded whacked.

"Some girl was in here, looking for you, I assumed it was Kikyo." That was Koga always worried about her.

"What did she look like?" She saw InuYasha's mustang pull around the corner to her left and started up Koga's truck. She backed out as Koga gave her an exact description of Kikyo. "What did she say?"

"Just that she was looking for you. She seemed pretty angry." Koga paused for a moment. "She didn't find you?"

"No but I doubt it will take her much longer to do so." Kagome pushed on the gas pedal and sped out of the parking lot. She needed to hurry. The last thing she wanted was to run into Kikyo while she was out with InuYasha.

Several minutes had passed before Kagome was jumping out of the truck and walking over to InuYasha's open driver side window. "I'm gonna go in and drop off his keys, you wait here." She didn't wait for his response just turned and quickly walked to the back door. Once inside she found Koga anxiously polishing a shot glass.

"Hey, here are your keys, listen, can I stay at your place tonight?" Kagome sat his keys on the bar and he set the glass down hurriedly.

"Yeah, of course." He looked her over—apparently his one conversation with Kikyo had shown him what Kagome had to put up with on a daily basis.

"I just don't want to be alone at my place knowing that she's watching me." Kagome figured that would be where Kikyo would wait for her. There or at the office.

"Sure, I don't get off here till midnight, you have your key right?" She nodded and produced the key from her pocket.

"I'll bring my sleeping bag." He smiled at her as she turned to leave. "I've got to get back to work now." She waved over her shoulder and left.

Kagome was relieved after the silent car ride with InuYasha was over. He hadn't pushed the subject of their dates and Kagome was worried that he was angry at her. Still he continued to smile kindly at her. He even walked her to her office. It was a bit embarrassing and Kagome was extremely glad it was over. She opened the door to her shared office and closed it quietly behind her.

"You're back! About time!" Sango rose quickly from her desk. She went over to where Kagome stood by the door and looked her friend over.

"What?" Kagome was curious of her friend's reaction. Something was wrong, she could tell.

"Someone came looking for you." Sango blurted, she hurried past Kagome and went to her desk. "She left this." She pulled the slip of paper off the desk and handed it to Kagome. Kagome raised her eyebrows and watched Sango nervously watch her. She unfolded the small scrap of paper slowly.

"Kikyo." She whispered as she read the small words on the paper. Kikyo was watching her—more so than usual anyway. Had she found out about the dates with her boss? How could she have? At least she could confront Kikyo and tell her that she was definitely not dating her boss. How had she gotten out of that one again? She counted her blessings.

"I thought that was who she was." Sango remarked having heard Kagome's whisper from the short distance away. "What does it say?" She pointed to the note in Kagome's hand.

"Oh you know, just that I should watch my back." Kagome felt a chill run up her spine. "She's been watching me. She knew about InuYasha. I'm not sure how but I guess now she thinks we're dating. Shit."

"Kagome, I don't know the whole story here, but it seems like you need some help. Is there anything I can do?" Sango was so nice, Kagome realize. She didn't deserve her friendship.

"I can handle this, I just have to wait it out a few weeks, and then everything will be fine." Kagome knew her words were cryptic, but it would take too long to explain to Sango about her going into the witness protection program. There was no need to quit at this moment in time; she'd be leaving in a few weeks, a month or two at the most.

"I hope you're right Kagome." Sango went back to her side of the laboratory. The rest of the work day flew by fast and Kagome worked herself into the ground. She wanted to go home, pack a few things, head over to Koga's and be asleep by nine. She had found out over the months past that sleep was the best way to forget all of the bad things—for a little while at least.

"Morning sleeping beauty." Koga smiled at me as I entered the kitchen. He had breakfast cooking on the stove and I was excited to find out what it was. The baggy shirt I was wearing hung down past my knees and was more a dress than a shirt on me. I was sure my hair was a mess but around Koga none of that mattered.

"Ungh." I grunted in reply as I made my way to his side to see what was in the skillet in front of him. "Mmm, bacon."

He laughed at me as he pulled the last few strips from the skillet. "Do you want eggs?"

"As long as you're fixing them." He nodded, "Then I'll take two scrambled."

"Coming right up." He pulled a carton from the fridge and I got out two plates from a cabinet over the sink. The toaster popped and I went to butter them. Soon we were sitting at the island bar feasting our eyes on the glorious food. "So InuYasha knows that we aren't dating?"

I wanted to ignore the question and change the subject but Koga was my best friend. I couldn't shut him out, and even if I could it wouldn't last for long. "Yes, he figured it out, and despite me losing our deal he didn't push me into following through on our bet. Thank God."

"What was the bet?" I knew he was going to ask, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to answer.

I shoveled a mouthful of eggs into my mouth instead and ignored the question.

"Kagome, I'm not going to drop the subject, just tell me." I gulped down the eggs half chewed in my mouth and then rolled my eyes at him.

"If I could prove that I had a boyfriend then I wouldn't have to go on six dates with him." I watched his face for a reaction but he seemed mellow about it.

"So you told him I was your boyfriend." Was that contempt I heard in his voice? If so I would have to smack him.

"Yes, I told him that, but I thought I was going to have a chance to warn you before we just popped in on you like that. I'm sorry." I stammered as I tried to word the next part. "And, well, that kiss, you don't hate me for it do you?"

He smirked at me and for a moment I was reminded of InuYasha. It aggravated me and I wanted to smack him even more. "I will forgive you, on one condition."

My mouth hung open in shock, I'm sure I was attracting all kinds of flies. "What would that be?" I asked as soon as my mouth was able to function.

"Well it seems like you cheated your boss out of a deal, and if I do recall you aren't allowed to break a promise. So if you go on these six dates with your boss then I will forgive you."

Needless to say I was appalled. I had lied to my boss in the first place so I could avoid these dates and now Koga was going to force me into going on six dates just so he would forgive me. "I'm sorry to tell you, but you're in for some disappointment and I guess I'm going to have to make a new friend."

He frowned at me. "You're bluffing." I tried to be defiant and so I jutted my chin out and turned my head the other way. "Fine, no more bacon and eggs then, since we aren't friends." He snatched my plate away before I could get a secure grip on it.

"But…" I growled at him, annoyance obvious on my face. "I made the deal and lied in the first place so I wouldn't have to go on those six dates."

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to lie?" He started eating my eggs and that made me furious.

"FINE!" I swiftly recaptured my plate and continued on my rant. "I'll call him in a few hours and tell him I want to go on the six dates, will you forgive me now? And spit my eggs back out, I'm still hungry." Just then he swallowed and smiled at me goofily. Frustrated I threw my hands into the air and sighed heavily. The beginning of the end of my world had officially begun.

End Chapter

AN: Ok, ok, I know, it's a miracle, what can I say? It's what I do!

Spoiler Chapter Six Out For Coffee

Finally getting his chance InuYasha is going to take advantage of his 6 dates with Kagome to the fullest of their extent. He'll try his hardest to sweep her off her feet.


	6. Chapter 6

Ok everyone here is the update, so sorry that it's a week late I've had a rough week! =P I hope you all enjoy it, tell me what you think...hint leave a review!

Disclaimer: I don't own inu...you got the drill

word count: 6205 woot!

Chapter Six Out For Coffee

Kagome prepared herself for her first day back to work after her phone call with InuYasha on Saturday. She still had no idea why she'd agreed to Koga's terms, but it happened and she couldn't stop it from happening now. Her hands shook a bit as she tucked her raven hair behind her ears. She took a calming breath and looked herself over in the mirror re-evaluating her choice in outfit. She'd tried hard not to dress too nicely. She didn't want InuYasha to think she was trying to impress him or anything. She wore a soft pink pin-tuck pocket camisole and grey dress slacks. She matched her makeup with her shirt going for a soft look. Her hair laid in waves down her back only pinned back on the sides to keep it out of her face. Her bangs covered her forehead and occasionally fell into her eyes. It was a casual look, yet still acceptable for work.

With a hungry growl from her stomach she left her bathroom and went to the kitchen. She made herself a quick cup of coffee and pulled a pack of pop tarts from an overhead cabinet. She popped the cherry flavored squares into the toaster and set the dial to 2 ½. She hummed to herself as she stirred her coffee. She slowly sipped the warm beverage as she waited on her food. She thought about her lunch date and wondered where they would go. She wanted so badly not to care, but her interest was high. Kagome jumped when the toaster went off. She'd been lost in her thoughts and it seemed she'd lost sense of all her surroundings. Placing a steady hand over her heart she rose to retrieve her pop tart.

She ate quickly watching the morning report on channel 8. There was supposed to be a chance of rain, Kagome groaned. The last thing she needed was high humidity to make her hair frizzy.

InuYasha was feeling carefree and excited about his first official date with Kagome. That was until he knocked on the door to her office and Sango let him in and Kagome was no where to be seen. "So where is she?"

Sango turned from him and headed back to her desk the epitome of nonchalant. "She had to take some paperwork down to processing she should be back any minute now." She pushed around a few papers on her desk feeling a bit nervous about her boss standing nearby. He could be taking this time to silently evaluate her. She decided to act as natural as possible.

He leaned casually into the island desk where Sango and Kagome did testing work. "She better be." His voice held no threat, only hope.

Realizing what the look of uncertainty on his face Sango jumped up from her desk. "Oh, I promise she's not trying to ditch you. She's been nervous all morning." Sango mentally recalled the way Kagome had been jumpy all morning at the slightest sound. She had definitely been anxious.

InuYasha's ears perked up at this information and Sango wanted to giggle, but she resisted the urge. "Really?" Now his face was priceless, he was clearly taken with Kagome. Sango was just curious as to why. It wasn't that she knew InuYasha all that well, but she did know that he was friends with Miroku. She suspected him to be just as shallow as his best friend. He had dated a lot of women, she knew. Maybe he was starting to mature.

Sango didn't know exactly how to discover his true intentions and decided to base it on their date's destination. "Yeah, so where are you taking her?" Sango realized at that moment her lack of investigative skill. It was obvious what she was trying to do. Or at least she thought.

He didn't seem phased by her question. Actually he seemed happy to divulge his secret. "I'm starting out small; I figure coffee and a walk down Main Street." Sango liked the idea and knew had a few pointers to give.

She wondered if InuYasha would explain to her his real reason for taking Kagome out. She wasn't going to breach that topic yet though. "You know her favorite coffee shop is on 86th street."

He nodded at her briefly before turning to examine her rats. "Yes that was my planned destination for today's lunch."

Sango clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh, she'll love that!" He smirked back at her before glancing more closely at the rat cages.

"That's what I'm hoping." His voice drifted off as he studied the rats, and Sango felt worry swell up in her chest.

But Sango was spared from whatever InuYasha was just about to say. Kagome walked through the door seeming a bit flushed, and also seeming to catch the tail-end of their conversation. "What's that?" She looked askance at her boss and then her co-worker.

Sango covered smoothly for InuYasha, quickly changing the subject. "Nothing. See told you she wasn't ditching you." Kagome went to her desk and filed away a few manila folders that Sango wanted to ask about. She snatched up a cute hand purse and stashed her keys in the small compartment.

InuYasha had turned away from the shelf of rats and was watching Kagome nervously shuffle things around her desk. "You ready to go?" She glanced up at him then down at herself. Sango guessed she was doing a mental check to make sure she had everything.

A light bulb clicked on in Kagome's head and she pointed to the coat rack which she immediately started moving towards. "Let me just get my coat on." She turned her words into actions and then InuYasha was by her side and opening the door for her like a perfect gentleman. Sango waved to them and told them to have a good time. Then she was left to her rats. Things had been going seriously wrong in her labs. Sango hadn't told anyone but she'd been suffering from the effects that the tests should have been showing in the rats. She was having memory problems.

It seemed like every time she moved a rat she lost track of where it went. She had been doing another set of observations when she noticed some of the rats where in the wrong cages. She'd never had issues with such things before and it was starting to worry her. She decided to make nametags for each of the rats. During her work she thought about her former co-worker. She seriously didn't want to do such a thing, but she knew he might be able to help her. He had been working with a similar gene before he got transferred to another establishment on the other side of town.

It was her fault he was gone. She had scared him away. That seemed to be what she was always doing. She'd become friends with a guy and then develop reckless feeling for him and then she'd scare them off. It had been the same with Miroku. They had a rocky relationship to begin, but then she got used to his crazy antics and grew to like him. They had been co-workers for a few years and one day it just hit her. She was in love with him. Sango had never been shy as a child and had stayed that way growing up, but after so many relationships gone bad she wanted to try to be someone else. She wanted to be someone who wouldn't scare Miroku off.

In the end she only succeeded in ripping her own heart out, and causing him to immediately transfer to a different building. That had been three months ago and Sango was still dying on the inside from that incident. Sango let out a heavy sigh and began working on a chart system to help her keep track of her rats.

Kagome accepted InuYasha's arm as they walked out the double doors and toward the west parking lot to where his mustang was parked. He held the door open for her when they arrived at the passenger side of his car . She waited for him to get in the car on his side before allowing her curiousity to get to her. "So where are you taking me?" He glanced at her with a smile on his face. He turned the key in the igntion and seconds later they were speeding off down the street headed north.

He adjusted the radio to a country station before giving her any reply. "You'll know soon enough." Why do men have to be so cryptic?

With a grumble Kagome set him with a narrow-eyed glare. "What if I can't wait?" She crossed her arms and tried her best to look impatient.

His smile transformed to his trademark smirk and he turned up the radio. "Then you will have to learn to deal with disappointment."

"Gee thanks." Kagome mumbled just loud enough that his adept ears could barely hear her comment.

As Kagome realized just where it was InuYasha was taking her she felt a pang of guilt hit her. "I never said thank you for the coffee you sent me last week." She spoke softly her voice barely carrying over the sound of the radio but he didn't seem to have any problems hearing her.

He pulled into the parking lot of her favorite coffee place. "No problem, it was your favorite right?"

She nodded. "Yes actually, I was meaning to ask you about that. How did you find out?" She also wanted to ask him about the quote, but was too afraid to discover the truth of that mystery. She had two theories: He had either asked Sango, or he was also a Dan Brown fan. She couldn't believe that they actually had something in common.

As he turned off the car he motioned for her to stay seated and then came around to her side to open the door for her. "I have my ways." He spoke into her ear and it caused a shiver to sneak down her spine. She wasn't sure if it was a good or bad sign.

She covered up her momentary hesitation with an inner thought that she hadn't planned on allowing to slip past her lips. "Another piece to the unsolvable puzzle." Now she would have to explain the way she had spent hours on Sunday going through thousands of "What if" scenarios trying to figure out his motives. None of them had looked promising then and she didn't want to think about it again.

His left eye brow raised as he looked down at her. "What's that supposed to mean?" He took her elbow and guided her to the door.

She tried to sum up the ideas floating around in her head to give him a generalization and just decided to keep it simple. "There are a lot of things I don't understand about you InuYasha; it may well drive me to drinking." He laughed at her as if he knew she was already a mostly habitual drinker. Aside from the previous Wednesday she hadn't drank herself silly in nine months. She had been going to the Akuda Bar almost every night of the week for the past 3 months however.

"Well you'll get your chance to ask questions." He assured her.

The entered the building and went to the counter to order coffee and sweet treats for their lunch. Kagome wasn't worried about the healthiness of her meal, she hadn't had lunch for weeks and she didn't indulge herself often. They got their drinks and doughnuts and sat at a bistro table near a window facing the road. She watched the traffic pass by as she enjoyed the first bite of her jelly filled doughnut. "This is nice."

"I thought it was a good idea." He agreed taking a bite of his glazed doughnut.

She had to look away from him when he smiled brightly at her. She couldn't risk enjoying his company. Then one thing would lead to another and she wouldn't have the guts to keep her secret from him anymore. "You think too highly of yourself."

She watched him relax into his chair and waited for the response she knew was coming. "I'm going to ignore that comment." And he did just that, moving the conversation along with another question. "So Kagome Higurashi, are you ready?"

"Ready for what?" She looked to him askance, curiosity covering her features. She should have known it would be another cocky remark.

But it was more that confident, it was sincere. "For the beginning of the best week of your life." It was an off-hand comment but it spoke volumes. He was really planning on trying to get her into a serious relationship.

With a sigh Kagome dropped her head into her hands dramatically. "Lord save me from your over-inflating ego."

"I want to know everything about you." His words shocked her into silence. There was no way he would ever learn every detail of her past. She would guard that secret with care.

She flushed then recovered as quickly as possible. "Well prepare to be disappointed."

The frown on his face gave her a moment of satisfaction. He hadn't planned on her being difficult. At least now she knew he'd have to work for what he so dearly wanted. "I'll make you a deal." He held out a hand for a hand shake.

She was immediately reminded of her last encounter with the same hand and the deal she made that was cause of her current predicament. "You know, the last time I made a deal I ended up with six dates with my boss." He dropped his hand knowing there was little more he could do to change her mind.

Except that he could give her an equal exchange. "This is an equal win deal, I promise."

Kagome gave him a once over with narrow eyes. "Name your terms." She was hoping to catch his bluff.

"I ask one questions and then you answer. And then you ask one question and I answer. There is only one stipulation." The man was good she had to admit, he seemed perpetually unstoppable. She'd hate to be on his bad side.

With a roll of her eyes to the sky she skillfully downplayed his proposal. "Spare me the drama, what is it?"

He watched her like a hawk eyeing its prey. "You can't lie."

Kagome laughed at he way he was staring her down, as if she would refuse, she just had to hope he wouldn't ask the right questions, and if he did she would only have to downplay the bad parts. "Easy enough, what's your first question?" Her voice was even which surprised her.

He "hmm'd" for a moment searching his mind for something beneficial to him. "Let's start with something basic. What's your favorite type of flower?" This information would be helpful for later in the week, permitting she didn't lie.

Kagome shrugged, if these were to be the questions he was asking today would be cake. "Carnations, okay, my turn…um…what's your favorite day of the week?" She decided to keep her questions easy. There would be less chance of him lying. Not that she thought he would.

A smirk graced his lips and she felt somewhere in the pit of her stomach annoyance bubbling up. "Saturday."

It wasn't a weird answer, but honestly she was expecting another answer. "Why?"

He wagged a finger at her while clicking his tongue. "I don't think so, my turn to do the asking."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine." She thought about her next question while he asked his next question.

"Do you have any siblings?" Kagome smirked at the general question, now he was going to get payback.

She nodded her head and offered a small reply. "Yes."

Before she got her answer fully out he was already interrogating her further. "Younger or older?"

This time she laughed and wagged her finger at him. "Ah ah ah! My turn!" His face fell and she smirked smugly at him.

He finished off his doughnut and started cleaning his fingers off on his napkin. "I'm gonna regret that aren't I?"

She nodded but didn't allow him any further answer. "Not your turn to do the asking." He mumbled something unintelligible and she grinned.

She thought carefully about how she worded her question. She didn't want him finding a way to answer with one work and leave her wanting more. "How did you become CEO of LabTech?" She didn't really want to know anything personal about him, she didn't want to like him, but this was one question that she was interested in knowing the answer to.

He leaned toward her as if divulging a big secret and she used the cup of coffee in front of her as a means of moving away without seeming rude. "My grandfather bought the company from a rich German guy who planned to retire. It was passed on to my father, who intended for my older brother to take over after him, but my brother didn't want anything to do with the company. He went to law school instead, but I suppose you already guessed that part of the story. Any way, by that time I was in my early teens. He decided that I could take over the business instead.

"I didn't mind being second best, so I started taking business classes and I went off to college a few years later. It was two months before I graduated when he died. I finished my degree and instantly took over the business. I haven't inherited the company fully yet. See my father wasn't planning on dying quite so soon. I won't inherit till I'm 30 years old. So for now I'm just the CEO. I basically run everything anyway, I just don't own it." Kagome instantly regretted asking the question. He told her about his family, his father—who was dead now. How long ago had that been? She didn't dare ask any more about his job.

"I'm sorry, about your father." Her voice was paper thin, and so soft she wasn't sure he had heard her, but he had. He didn't like it when people pitied him. Especially people like Kagome, and his mother. They were people he only wanted to see smiling. He couldn't remember the last time his mother smiled. She was getting sicker by the day and he was out on a date with a girl who was full of happiness. There was something about her though that set InuYasha on edge. There was something in her past that kept her from being happy all the time.

He changed the subject, and reverted it to her family. He would one way or another weed out the truth of whatever was secretly bothering her at all times. "My turn, tell me about your family."

"You know, that's not technically a question." Her comment was only a joke but he took it seriously, he didn't want her to think he was cheating. Also why else would she refuse to tell him about her family if there wasn't anything worth hiding?

"Do you have something to hide?" She huffed at the questioning quirk of his eyebrow. She sipped on her coffee before answering making sure to keep him waiting.

"Don't be ridiculous, I'm just playing by your rules." If only it were the truth. She had thought this lunch would be easy, but the longer they sat and asked questions the closer he got to asking the right questions. Then she tried to relax, it was a general question, she was sure that all guys asked about their dates family on the first date. They wanted to know what they were up against.

He seemed to notice her falter, though she wasn't sure what he took it to mean. "Fine let me reword that. Would you tell me about your family?"

She worked hard on being pleasant, there was no way he would ask questions about her past. She would be okay, she just had to stay calm and not jump to conclusions. "I have a little brother, his name is Souta. He's sixteen, plays soccer religiously—sometimes he even sleeps with his uniform on, says it keeps him in the zone. My father died when I was young. My mother lives with my brother and Grandfather. My grandfather is obsessive about supernatural things, and my mother is carefree and wonderful. Is that detailed enough?"

He thought of Kagome's mother, carefree and wonderful she had described her, it reminded him of Kagome. If only she would let go of whatever caused her eyebrows to crease unconsciously. "I think it'll do." He nodded and took a sip of his coffee. He noticed that she had barely touched her doughnut, and he wondered if she was uncomfortable eating lunch with him.

She felt relieved, so far she had kept her promise and had told the absolute truth. There was no guilt to be felt yet. "Okay, next question. Have you ever been married?" It might have seemed forward but honestly it was something she needed to know.

His face was straight for a moment and she worried that the answer would be yes, but then his lips curled up into a grin and he laughed unabashedly at her. "Ha ha, no. Why do you ask?" She never seemed to do just what he was expecting and her spontaneous questions where becoming amusing.

She eyed him carefully for a moment. "That counts as your next question." She raised an eyebrow daring him to refuse.

He waved a carefree hand in her direction. "Fine."

She didn't think there was a way to be nice about her answer so she went for blunt and truthful. "Because if you had been married previously then that would lead to a whole series of questions like, whether you had kids, and how long you've been divorced, or if you were currently still married, in which case I would immediately leave and all previous deals would be void."

He smiled at her ramblings. She seemed a bit flushed and he wondered what had embarrassed her. "I see, well I've never married, and never really been in a serious relationship. I've been waiting for that right person. I guess I could never find her out there, till now." He wondered for a moment if he had been too forward but it felt right saying it and she didn't seem any more flushed than a moment before.

What he hadn't realized was that the talk of marriage had made her blush brightly covering up the embarrassment she felt over his later comment. She was almost too stunned to coherently speak. "Uh huh, I see, so you think I'm the right girl for you?" She wished there was a way to work this relationship out. She really was starting to enjoy his company and his conversation, but there were too many obstacles in the way—that wasn't even including the information Sesshomaru had given her on Friday.

His serious words that had made her nervous only got worse. He was way to serious about her already and she could clearly see that. "That's what I'm trying to figure out. You're a tricky girl Kagome." Well, that wasn't a compliment she got everyday. Some of the guys she knew in the past had called her easy, but never tricky. She felt the constant cloud over her head begin to crack open and she had to suppress the urge to feel sorry for herself.

Instead she brightened and ignored the cloud drooping over her world. "Wow! I'm almost flattered, but I never would have guessed you were that serious about me." She had been shocked but his questions and replies only grew more forthright.

"What is your relationship with Koga?" She was shocked momentarily by the question. It was something she hadn't been expecting. It seemed obvious to her what her relationship was with Koga, but then she had tried to use him to make InuYasha think they were dating.

Realizing what that probably meant Kagome smirked. "Why are you jealous?"

He released an annoyed sigh. "I know you two aren't dating and I can guess that you two have been friends for a long time now, but I want to know is how well he knows you."

"I'd say he knows everything there is to know about me." If only InuYasha knew the truth to that statement, there wasn't a think—of importance—that Koga didn't know about her.

She heard him grumble inaudibly and almost laughed at how ridiculous he was being. "Well then to answer your question, yes I am jealous."

She drank a gulp of her coffee thinking about what this new information meant. It was unfathomable for her to think that he could possibly already like her enough to be jealous of a guy she'd known for most of her life. "You shouldn't be."

She watched as his left ear twitched and resisted the urge to giggle. "Why not?"

"Because if it weren't for him, then I wouldn't be here right now." She felt bad for saying it because it made her seem like she didn't want to be there. Which technically she didn't want to be there, but it was rude of her to admit such a thing.

She could tell he was putting two and two together in his head, Kagome could almost swear there was a smoke cloud forming above his head. "He made you call me yesterday?" His voice hinted that he didn't believe her.

She shrugged. "Yeah it was either call you or lose my best friend." Like she had a choice, well she did, but she figured she owed Koga for the lies she'd told him so she would do this one thing for him. She couldn't think of what pleasure he was getting out of putting her through a week of hell, but she would put up with it for him.

"What is his deal?" InuYasha ran a hand through his hair, clearly he was frustrated, but Kagome didn't understand his annoyance.

"What do you mean?" He gave her a confused and alarmed look.

He seemed stuck between two big choices and Kagome wanted to know what his deal was. "...you don't...nothing never mind." He faltered looking away from her.

Kagome narrowed her eyes and her brows knit together. "What is it?"

It was her turn to ask a question and InuYasha had to follow his rules, and he wasn't going to tell the truth so he gave her a lousy answer. "...It's just weird, I didn't think he liked me."

"Oh." She didn't seem to buy it for a moment but she let if drop, InuYasha just hoped she wouldn't bring it up later with Koga.

To avoid her questioning glance he turned the conversation onto something simple. "I believe it's my turn to ask a question."

"Yeah it is." She hadn't been keeping track he knew but it wasn't like he was taking advantage of her. Their hour went on in a similar fashion both being cautious of the questions they asked. Soon they were back at the LabTech building and she was saying good bye. He left without saying a word about their next date. He wasn't going to make her anxious. Besides he wasn't letting her in on his secrets about their dates.

Kagome gave Sango the bare minimum of details. Her friend was excited and it was creating a buzz in the pit of Kagome's stomach. As soon as her clock showed five pm she fled from her office sick of all the questions Sango was asking—still four hours later. She thought about going to the Akuda Bar, but she was exhausted and she didn't want to see Koga because he would ask about her date too and she didn't want to deal with that.

She had stepped through the doorway of her apartment and had taken off her shoes when her phone rang. She heaved a heavy sigh, she wanted only to sit down and relax for an hour but she went over to the phone and answered.

"Kagome, for your safety don't say a word, you know who this is, I need you to go outside your apartment and across the street to the pay phone there, it will ring in exactly three minutes. Answer it and I will talk to you further." Sesshomaru hung up and Kagome was worried as to why his phone call had been so cryptic. She didn't have time to think it over instead she went to the door threw on a pair of slippers and raced out of her apartment and across the street.

She waited a full minute for the phone to ring and answered on the first ring. "Sesshomaru what's going on?"

"Kagome now that you have agreed to be a witness you are in need of protection. I will meet you on the corner of your street to pick you up in three minutes put on some real shoes." Kagome was left in shock as he hung up again and she knew she didn't have time for questions but she would get answers. She ran across the street and up to her door. She quickly threw on her tennis shoes and grabbed a light jacket. He was waiting in the back seat of a black sedan on the corner of her street as promised when she arrived. The driver opened the door for her then got in and they drove off down the street.

"I—I um, what is going on? What happened to Tuesday?" Kagome felt awkward every time she was alone with Sesshomaru, it was obvious he was a powerful man. And dating his brother seemed to make him more distant, not that he knew about her deal with InuYasha.

"Let me just go over everything first and then you can ask questions." He didn't wait for her to respond just moved on quickly to fill her in. "The man we have in custody is Naraku Kagesaki, he was the man responsible for selling drugs to the man you were working for. He is also responsible for illegal buys in the black market. We need you as a witness so we can pin him down for the drug dealing. The black market deals alone will only give him ten years, we want a life sentence. Also after doing this there is a catch. Kagome you will have to enter the witness protection program."

He gave her a moment to process the information. "It will be a month or so until the trial. You will be given that time to set your affairs in order and then you will go to trial and then you will no longer be Kagome Higurashi. Do you understand?"

"Will I ever be able to see my family again?" She wouldn't be able to do it. She knew right now, there was no way she could give up her family.

"No, I'm afraid not, but Kagome if you don't do this then in ten years Naraku will be back on the streets and he will be selling drugs to helpless people like you and more and more innocent lives will be taken. You have to do this." He had found her one weakness. Kaede had only been a child, it was her fault she was dead, it was Naraku's fault she was dead.

"Do I have to go into the witness protection program? Can't I just stay here? I could hire a body guard or something." She was grasping for straws she knew she couldn't win, but she wanted to stay. She wanted to be Kagome Higurashi for the rest of her life.

"Kagome they wouldn't go for you first, the men who work for Naraku would find you and study you and then they would torture you. Kagome they would kill everything dear to you, and they won't stop until there's nothing left and then you'd be alone. Either way you'd end up alone." Sesshomaru had reached out a hand to touch her shoulder but his hand was cold and unremorseful. It only made him seem colder.

She held back her tears but the burning in the back of her throat made her incapable of speaking. She nodded her head and closed her eyes. "You're right." The words barely left her lips. She knew this was what she deserved. She had taken a little girl from her only family and now she was being ripped away from her own.

"I'm sorry Kagome but there is no other way. It'll be almost four weeks before I come to see you again." The car slowed to a stop and Kagome realized they were outside of her apartment complex. "I suggest you take that time to say good bye. You won't need to pack your things when you leave they will be anonymously shipped for you once your new home has been established. You won't have to worry about that until I come for you."

"Good bye Sesshomaru," She didn't know what else to say, her life was coming to an end and there was nothing she could do to stop it. At least if she did this her family would be safe. She thought about calling InuYasha right then and cancling their dates for the rest of the week, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She wanted to take advantage of her time left in this life. She would have a great week and nothing would stop her from enjoying herself. She got inside her apartment and went to the phone. She had to call her mother. There was so much to say to her family. This was going to be a bad week, but at least she knew she was doing the right thing.

Chapter End

AN: So you hate me...right? I hate to end it on a sad note, but the beginning was good! I'm starting on the next chapter right this very moment I hope to have it up by this time next week. Hope you enjoyed this chapter more to come next time.

Spoiler Chapter Seven Ramen Contest

What do you get when you mix Kagome, a kitchen, and tons of random ingredients? That's right one big mess, well at least with InuYasha's help she might make it through the day without lighting the house on fire.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha and I don't own any Shakespearian works, I'm not that cool. **

**Chapter Seven Ramen Contest**

**Word count: 6745**

**It would be their second date. Kagome had no idea what it was he was planning and it was making her nervous. Their first date had gone well and she was hoping the second would be just as uneventful. She found it hard to relax around InuYasha. Somehow he always made her feel unworthy. He was so nice to her and all the time she had to lie to him. Not only was she lying to him she was lying to herself. She had no intentions of enjoying her dates with InuYasha, but he was being so kind to her. It was confusing spending time with him. He wanted so much from her. He had asked questions about her for two hours the day before at their lunch, and yet he said he hadn't been satisfied. He didn't know enough yet and she couldn't think of much else to tell him. **

**As she got ready for work she was careful in her choice of clothes. She had no idea what they were going to be doing. Would he take her to a restaurant? Or would he take her back for coffee and ask more questions? It was hard to tell for sure. She settled on a knee-length navy dress with white trim. It had a modestly cut neckline and inch wide straps. She matched it with a pair of navy blue open toed heals. She straightened her hair and pinned it back on one side. She didn't put on make up, she didn't want it to seem like she was trying to impress him. **

**She drank a small glass of orange juice and nibbled on some toast as she waited for 6:30 to come. Kagome thought about what she was going to tell him at the end of their dates. She hoped he wouldn't get mad at her when she put in her two weeks notice. She planned on waiting to do that until the week was over. That would give her time to start packing and get her stuff in order. After talking to her mother the night before she knew for sure this was what she was going to do. She wasn't allowed to tell her mother a lot of the details but she did give the general information. It was sad to know she would never see her mother again or the rest of her family but she would make the most of her situation. **

**Getting up from her seat at the small table in her tiny kitchen she left her home. She would be a bit early but that was never a big deal. She watched as she hurried to her car, for Kikyo to show up, when she never did make an appearance Kagome began to worry. The last thing she needed was to be anxious about what Kikyo was up to. She decided right then that the next meeting with the girl that she had she would tell her of the trial and then hopefully the girl would be happy to be rid of her. Kagome knew that she would be. **

**When she arrived at work it was just like any morning only as she stepped through the door to her and Sango's office there was no greeting.**

"**Sango?" Kagome glanced around the room and found her friend kneeling on the floor next to the bottom row of rat cages. She was placing a white sticker over the last glass panel. As Kagome looked closer she saw that it had writing on it. It read: Billy: White rat brown spots on tail, left ear twitches. **

**Sango looked up at the sound of her name being called. "Oh, it's you, you're early."**

"**Am I, um, interrupting something? What's with the name tags?" As Kagome questioned her friend she moved closer to get a better look at the tags on each cage. The descriptions all matched the rats beyond them in the cages and Sango seemed a bit reluctant to answer. **

"**Just a few minor set backs in my research. Nothing serious." Kagome was skeptical of Sango's answer but she was in no position to question her. She shrugged and moved closer to read a tag that caught her attention. **

"**Wormtail: Not a reference to Harry Potter just a description of his tail, also eats only yellow cheeses and has three fingers missing on the right forepaw." **

**Kagome laughed as she softly read the tag. She glanced at her coworker sprawled across the floor and laughed some more. At least she knew her problems weren't as unsettling as Sango's. It seemed like the girl was having memory issues. Repressing her giggles Kagome shrugged again and helped Sango to her feet. **

"**I know this seems ridiculous, but I promise it's not! And if you tell anyone that I am having memory issues I'll tell everyone that you're a lesbian…don't make me 'cause I swear I'll do it." Kagome just laughed a bit more and smiled.**

"**You have my word that I won't say a thing." Kagome went to the coat rack by the door and picked up her lab coat from where it was hanging. She threw it on and then went to her desk to begin her morning inventory. It would be five more hours before InuYasha would arrive to take her to lunch. She couldn't help but wonder what it was he had planned for today. **

**

* * *

**

**InuYasha rushed to make a few last minute calls. His first one was to Miroku. As he dialed the number he wrote down some notes over a board meeting he'd just finished up and without realizing it started writing her name. He felt foolish but had no time to scold himself because Miroku finally answered his phone. **

"**Hey buddy, what's up?" Miroku's laid back tone seemed contradicting to the stress InuYasha knew his friend was facing with his new job. **

"**Would it be creepy to take the girl I'm dating to my house on our second date?" InuYasha knew Miroku was the last person he should ask for serious answers about women but he had no other sources that would answer honestly on the subject. **

"**Depends on what you plan on doing with this date of yours." His tone was sly and InuYasha wanted to slap him through the phone, he didn't understand the meaning of a serious conversation. **

"**Let me rephrase that. Would you take a girl to your house on the second date? And would it work out and not be creepy?" InuYasha was asking this question in hopes that he'd get a positive answer.**

"**Absolutely my friend and you know just how much fun we'd both have." InuYasha smirked, using Miroku and reverse psychology made for an easy answer.**

"**Okay, so I shouldn't take her to my house, you know anyone who has a kitchen close by that I could borrow?" He heard Miroku chuckle on the other line and a smirk lined his face. **

"**Yeah, I could call you in a favor with that lady I know who has her own cooking show, I'm sure she'd let you in, as long as I'm paying with sexual debit." InuYasha dropped his head to his hands in shame. Miroku had no clue how retarded he sounded half of the time and the other half was only filled with confusion. There was no winning in a battle of wits with Miroku, because no one could understand his logic or fight it. **

"**Alright that sounds good set it up then when you have it confirmed call me back with a number and address." His secretary paged him and he told her to hold on.**

"**Sure thing boss." Miroku hung up and InuYasha did the same.**

"**What is it?" he asked his secretary through the speaker in his desk phone. **

"**Sir you're going to be late for your meeting with Brooks." InuYasha sighed and stood quickly.**

"**Is he in the office now or am I supposed to meet him somewhere?" InuYasha opened his calendar and searched for the meeting in the time slot at eight o'clock. He looked at his clock, it was 7:56. **

"**I'll send him in Sir." Again he thought that his secretary must have read his mind because he never had to give her an answer she seemed to always know what to do. It was a bit ironic as well that she happened to be a ditzy blond. **

**InuYasha hardly paid attention to Mr. Brooks as he went over financial business and gave information on new chances at more money. Instead he thought about his remaining two phone calls but mostly he was just thinking about Kagome. He couldn't explain his obsession with her. She fascinated him and it wasn't her beauty, it wasn't her smile and it wasn't her reluctance to spend time with him. He wasn't sure what it was, she was a mystery that he needed to figure out. After Mr. Brooks finished talking and they went over a contract InuYasha ushered the man from his office. **

**After checking his schedule with his secretary he picked up his phone knowing he had ten minutes before a board meeting on level three. He waited as the phone rang and hoped that Sango would answer the phone and not Kagome. Lucky for him the phones didn't have caller ID. It was the third ring before the line picked up. "Hello this is Sango room 102 how can I help you?" **

**InuYasha thanked his lucky stars and whispered quietly into the speaker. "Sango, it's your boss, I need a favor. First don't say anything to Kagome. She can't know I'm calling okay? If she asks just make something up can you do that?" **

**Sango was silent for a moment and InuYasha anxiously awaited her response. "Sure." She was hesitant in her response but she seemed compliant. **

"**Can you tell me what color Kagome is wearing today?" InuYasha paused for a moment then added. "Is she nearby? She can't know it's me, I don't want her guessing what I've got planned."**

**The line was dead silent for a long moment as InuYasha waited for a response. "Navy blue, I ordered the navy blue dye for my tests." **

**InuYasha smirked Kagome was clearly nearby or listening to the conversation at the least. "Wonderful, thanks Sango, oh and would you say that Kagome had a good time yesterday?" **

**Sango laughed at him out loud and he was curious what happened to be so humorous. "Yeah, that's right yesterday I was happy and giddy and now today I'm feeling a bit distressed." **

**That time it took him a moment to understand her meaning. "So she did have a good time yesterday, but now she's distressed?" **

**Sango seemed to falter for a moment. "I'm not sure what's wrong, maybe I'm sick." **

**InuYasha grimaced as he thought over this bit of information. "You said distressed, are you sure it's due to sickness, maybe something happened and she's worried about something." **

**It was obvious that Sango was growing frustrated as she raised her voice and began almost yelling into the phone. "I don't know, I can't play these games anymore, I asked for that shipment and it should have been in and I don't have time to mess with this I have to go." **

**InuYasha guessed that Kagome had come closer to Sango or started to ask questions and so he decided not to push the subject any more. He would find out what was wrong with Kagome soon enough. "Thank you Sango." **

"**You're welcome." InuYasha dropped the phone to the receiver and left for the board meeting. He had a few things to think over before he made his final call. **

**The board meeting was more uneventful than his meeting with Mr. Brooks. InuYasha barely paid any attention to the older men on the board and when he returned to his office there was a small slip of paper on his desk. **

**It read: InuYasha, I got you an opening for 12:05 at Rue's kitchen. **

**And then below the words Miroku had scribbled was an address and number. InuYasha folded the paper and slipped it into his coat pocket. He then picked up his phone one last time for the morning and made a call to the local flower shop. After the call he checked the clock. It was ten after eleven and he was finished with everything on his morning schedule. He sat at his desk looking over some paper work that had pile up. He came to a brown folder that he recognized. It was the one Kagome had brought to him the previous week for Sango. He had forgotten about it. He opened the file and started reading over the first preliminary report. **

**It seemed that Sango was getting somewhere with her research, and after the mishap that had taken place three months before it looked like his faith in her had come through. He hadn't taken sides between his employee and best friend. Instead he looked at the fact and Sango got to keep her job in research and Miroku was moved to PR work. In the end Miroku confessed to him that he couldn't control himself around the girl and so it was in fact Miroku's fault for the destruction of the lab room. As he read through all the information he decided he'd give Sango a raise. The work she was doing was definitely beneficial to the company. Not that he had much of an idea as to what the paperwork in front of him was telling him. **

**He passed another ten minutes looking over the files on his desk. He called Shippo into his room and assigned the boy some filing work. After that he left taking his keys with him as he headed to the lobby. The delivery he'd called for should be arriving shortly. He spoke with his secretary for a moment getting directions to the address on the paper Miroku had left for him. **

**It wasn't far away so they should have plenty of time to get there. He passed another ten minutes walking to the lobby, taking the stairs. When he arrived there was a girl carrying a small bouquet of navy blue carnations walking up to the lobby desk. "Delivery for InuYasha…uh…" She glanced down at the clipboard she carried. **

"**Takahashi, thank you." He took the bouquet from her and signed the bottom line on the paper she offered him. With a nod she left and he headed to the elevator. He stood outside of Kagome's office for a few minutes hoping not to seem overzealous. He knocked softly and Sango was the one who answered the door. He smiled at her and she gasped at the flowers. "Hello Sango, is Kagome ready?" **

"**Find out for yourself." She replied backing away from the door and allowing him to come in. Kagome hadn't looked up from her desk where she sat. She was finishing up the last few lines of a report and didn't want to forget the words in her head. InuYasha watched her quickly fill in the boxes with information that was clearly stored in her head. **

"**You're a bit early." She commented still bent over her work. **

**InuYasha smirked; Kagome was the only girl he knew that was so frustratingly headstrong. He wanted her to notice the flowers and she had yet to even glance at him. "Well, if you want to make it to your date on time we need to get going." Finally she looked up at him and she sat there her mouth open wide and stared at him. **

"**Are those for me?" She asked and InuYasha instantly saw what Sango meant. Kagome looked terrible. Well she looked great, her navy blue dress fit perfectly to her frame, but her eyes were darker today. She seemed, well, distressed. **

**InuYasha offered her a kind smile and nodded. "Absolutely." Slowly she took them from him and smelt their sweet perfume. **

**Her face lit up immediately and InuYasha felt relieved. It would hopefully be easy to keep her happy today. And hopefully she would tell him what was bothering her. "Thank you." She spoke quietly and fondly touched the petals of the flowers. **

"**Are you ready to go?" InuYasha noticed Sango watching him. She smiled when he made eye contact. She mouthed a 'thank you' to him that Kagome hadn't noticed. **

"**Take these for a moment so I can get my coat?" InuYasha nodded taking back the bouquet. She moved to her desk and grabbed her purse and went to the door to exchange her lab coat for a knit beige coat. **

"**I'm ready." She said from the door, "I'll be back later Sango." They left and were out of the building in five minutes. **

**As they were driving Kagome held the flowers in her lap and occasionally sniffed the buds. She rolled down the window and began telling him about her morning. She hid her misery well behind a façade of cheer. She didn't bother asking about their destination; she decided to let the surprise be a surprise. **

**Kagome had chattered happily till they arrived at the large building that Miroku had given the address to. Kagome was quiet for a long time as she carried her flowers and followed InuYasha into the building. **

"**I have a reservation." InuYasha spoke to the man at the lobby desk. **

"**Name please?" he man asked looking down at the screen of his computer checking a list of name. **

"**Takahashi, InuYasha." InuYasha replied waiting for the man to check the list. **

"**Okay, I have you for room A11, here is the key, I am to tell you everything is set up for you and your menu is set up." The man smiled at the pair as he directed them down the hall to their room. **

**InuYasha noticed that Kagome seemed a bit tense. "I hope you're hungry." He murmured in her ear as he opened the door with the key. **

"**Most definitely." She spoke the words as her stomach growled confirming her statement. He laughed at her expression which was one of embarrassment. She rubbed her stomach and then frowned. InuYasha turned his head to see what it was she had spotted. The kitchen was lit with the surrounding chairs and tables for the audience were still surrounded in darkness. They made their way through the maze of chairs and tables and then stepped up on the tile floor of the studio kitchen. **

"**What is this place?" Kagome asked amazed by her surroundings. **

**InuYasha went to the fridge and began pulling random ingredients from the shelves and placing them on the counter behind him. He found several packages of ramen in a pantry next to the oven and then some other random ingredients above the sink. "I have a friend who knows a person who knows the person that owns this place. My people called his people and his people came through, again." She giggled at him still in awe of the room around her. **

"**What are we having?" She picked up a jar of pickles and a bag of rice a questioning look on her face. **

"**Not any of that." InuYasha took the items from her hands and set them down on the counter. "I just took those out to confuse you." **

**InuYasha was trying hard to get her riled up, but she was so calm. It was unnerving; he couldn't even get a sarcastic response out of her. "We are going to make Ramen." **

**Kagome nodded for a moment before doing a double take. "Wait, what?!" **

"**Oh, come on; tell me you know how to cook." He gave her a playful nudge in the arm. **

"**Sure, I can make toast, and pop tarts, and basically anything that can go in the microwave." She shrugged and grinned at his appalled expression.**

"**How have you survived living on your own for so long?" He didn't believe anyone could live off of microwave food. **

"**Mostly Koga, he makes me dinner most nights, and some nights I order takeout." And some nights I drink my dinner, Kagome thought silently. It was a bad habit and she knew it, but it was either drinking or drugs and she chose the previous. She hadn't gone to 6 months of rehab just to go back to the streets and get high again. **

"**Okay, well I'm going to teach you how to make Ramen, and to mix it up a bit you are going to pick three random ingredients." He set 14 different food items before them on the counter and instructed Kagome to pick three. She grabbed a bottle of hot sauce, a package of shredded cheese and a bag of frozen chicken breasts. **

"**That random enough for you?" she asked as he turned from her to find two aprons. As he was rummaging in a low cabinet he found what he was searching for and then two chef hats that gave him an idea. **

**He threw his apron on and pulled the strings around him and tied them in the front. He went to Kagome and draped hers over her head. "Think you can figure that out for yourself?" **

**Her face deadpanned and he shrugged putting his hands up in a defensive stance. "Just making sure." After she pulled the strings around and tied them in front as he had done he plopped the chef's hat on her head. He put a similar hat on his head and then went to find a pan to boil water in. He turned on the oven and instructed Kagome to look for a flat pan to cook the chicken on. **

**They moved around the large kitchen searching cabinets and banging pots and pans together looking for prep items for their meal. InuYasha telling Kagome about times in his childhood when he'd get Sesshomaru in trouble for things that never happened. **

"**You were an evil child, no wonder he doesn't like you at all." Kagome laughed at his annoyed look.**

"**Is that what he told you? That he doesn't like me?" He asked, not that he really cared, or at least that's what he told himself. **

"**No, it just seems like you two don't get along." She shrugged and went to look for plates and cups and forks. She set one of the tables closer to the kitchen and found some white wine in the fridge. She left it there and reminded herself to get it when it was time to eat. **

"**Okay, so since you picked the easy chicken all we have to do is put it in the over for 15 minutes. When that's ready then we'll start on the Ramen because it doesn't take that long to cook. I'm not sure how we are going to make this work, but something will come to me." He indicated the hot sauce and cheese and Kagome laughed.**

"**You should have been more specific when you told me to pick random ingredients." Kagome pulled herself up onto the counter and leaned back against her hands. **

"**Do you get along with your little brother?" InuYasha asked continuing their conversation about their families. **

"**We got along for the most part until I started dating and then my mom insisted that I take him with me on every date I went on as my chaperone." Kagome smiled at InuYasha. "Then I started paying him to go see a different movie, or I'd drop him off at one of his friends' house on the way to wherever we would go." **

"**You make it sound like you did this a lot." InuYasha didn't like the thought of Kagome dating, even though it was years ago. **

"**Once a week, sometimes twice, I was never serious about boys, I mostly did it to defy my mom." Kagome shrugged, "She was very protective of me, especially after my dad died. She didn't want me to get hurt. Not that anything she could do could prevent me from getting my heart broken." **

**InuYasha frowned noticing the dark look that momentarily passed over Kagome's face, he didn't want to pry into something she wasn't willing to share but she left him no choice. "What happened?" **

**She hesitated for a moment and InuYasha knew she was lying when she spoke. "You know just teen drama." Kagome looked away from him and smiled, she needed to change the subject and fast. "Koga and I dated for a while." Her smile turned to a smirk when she heard his growl from across the room. **

"**Did he break your heart?" InuYasha asked after a long period of silence. **

"**No, it was more of a mutual agreement. I was leaving for college and he was moving to get away from his family. I never realized how great of a friend he was till I got back from college and he was there to help me move into my apartment and helm me look through ads for a job. He helped me prepare for interviews and gave me tips on impressing people." Kagome gave a simple version of the story. No way was she going to tell InuYasha the whole story. "And now he's really the only person I can completely count on." **

"**What about your mom?" InuYasha didn't like the subject but it was nice that she was openly talking about herself. **

"**Well, I'd spent four years doing crazy stuff at school and with my friends and I'd always fall back on my mom for support in bad situations. I'm an adult now and I don't want to force her to support me for forever. I gave her up and Koga just happened to be there when I was going through some tough times." She shrugged off-handedly. The oven beeped and InuYasha turned away from Kagome glad for the excuse to stop the conversation there. Every time Kagome talked about Koga it seemed like she held him up on a pedestal, how was he supposed to compete with that? **

**He put the tray of chicken in the oven and set the time for 15 minutes. "Come here." Kagome said patting the countertop next to her. "Tell me about your friends." **

"**I don't have very many." InuYasha pulled himself onto the counter next to Kagome. He sat close to her, and as he leaned back their hands touched. She didn't move to prevent the touch just allowed it to happen. He could smell her hair it was sweet like vanilla. "I grew up in a controlled environment and I didn't have any friends growing up. After I got out of the house to go to college I met Miroku. He was two years older than me. We met at a college party, well it was my first party. He showed me around and gave me advice on girls; that was his big thing, he knew all the girls and all the girls knew him. I quickly learned that that was not a good thing either. He was notoriously known as a womanizer and when I became his friend I adopted the same title. I couldn't get a girlfriend but I had the greatest best friend." **

**Kagome chuckled at the thought of having such a friend. "He sounds great, could I meet him?" **

"**You sure you want to set yourself up for that?" InuYasha quirked an eyebrow. **

"**As long as you promise to protect me." Kagome joked. "If he's anything like you were when I first met you I should be able to handle myself." **

"**Didn't I already apologize for that?" InuYasha dropped his head to his hands in shame. **

**Kagome turned to face InuYasha, "Yeah, and I believe I forgave you for that, so why are we here?" Kagome hadn't meant for it to come off sounding mean but there was a trace of annoyance in her voice. **

"**I want us to be here, I want to know everything about you." His words scared her more than anything, except the look in his eyes. She was still stuck staring into his amber pools, she could clearly see how serious he was about the whole subject. She tried to turn away. She tried to remind herself that in a few weeks she'd never see him again. She kept telling herself that she would be putting her notice in on next Monday. But nothing could pull her eyes away from his. **

**He broke the spell first. He moved fast, almost racing across the kitchen. He pulled a glass pan from a shelf that he had set out earlier, and took it to the sink to fill it with water. He set it on the stove to boil. The entire time Kagome was trying to think of some way to turn the conversation on to a subject they could both enjoy. "What kind of movies do you like?" She asked as it was the first good idea that popped into her head. **

"**My dad and I used to watch old westerns together. Clint Eastwood was his favorite. I preferred Gene Hackman." He didn't come back over and join her on the counter and she was thankful that he hadn't. She realized now in retrospect that she'd almost let herself to lose control. She had allowed her feelings to take front seat and put all consequences aside. **

"**I was more of a James Bond girl myself." Kagome smiled remembering the last time she watched a James Bond movie with her father. "I grew up wanting to be an actress. I took a few classes, actually several now that I think about it."**

**InuYasha still hadn't turned to face her and she thought for a moment that he hadn't heard her. "Would you act for me?" He turned to her now and pleaded with his eyes. **

**Embarrassment caused her cheeks to flush a deep red. She'd only ever performed in front of her bedroom mirror. She'd tried out once for a part in the High School play but she didn't get the part. After that her confidence was shot. She never went to another acting lesson. "It's been so long, and I don't have anything memorized." Kagome was grasping for straws. The last thing she wanted to do was act in front of an audience. **

"**Come on, surely you have something you can do." Kagome tried to look away from InuYasha, but his eyes held hers. **

**She weakened for a moment and knew that there was no escape from his beseeching look. "You have to promise not to laugh." **

**InuYasha smirked victoriously at her. "You have my word." He drew a cross over his heart. **

**Kagome drew in a deep breath and turned away from InuYasha to give herself a moment to prepare her lines. She quickly went over them in her head hoping she didn't mess up. They were the only lines she'd ever fully memorized. She had used them for the audition in her high schools play. When she was sure she had it she put a harsh determined look on her face and turned around. She wanted him to feel the wrath of Helena. **

"'**O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent to set against me for merriment: if you were civil and knew courtesy, you would not do me thus much injury.'" InuYasha seemed a bit shocked at the lines almost as if he thought they were directed at him. Which was exactly what she wanted. **

"'**Can you not hate me, as I know you do, but you must join in souls to mock me too? If you were men, as men you are in show, you would not use a gentle lady so; to vow, and swear, and super praise my parts, when I am sure you hate me with your hearts.'" She was a blur of action as she put the words with emotions and gestures and InuYasha was in awe of her talent. She wasn't done yet he knew and he never wanted her to be. **

"'**You both are rivals, and love Hermia; and now both rivals, to mock Helena: A trim exploit, a manly enterprise, to conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes with your derision! None of noble sort would so offend a virgin, and extort a poor soul's patience, all to make you sport.'" Kagome fell out of her act with a laugh, she hadn't felt so good in a long time. Her acting had brought her to life. **

"**That was amazing." InuYasha hadn't stopped clapping he was in absolute awe of her talent. He wondered why she hadn't kept at her acting instead of becoming a researcher, but he didn't want to cause an argument. He also didn't want to cause the radiant smile that had formed on her face to disappear. **

**She bobbed a small curtsy and was about to speak when the oven beeped. "Chicken's done." She went over to the oven and peered into the darkness. InuYasha followed her and hit the timer to disable the alarm. He motioned to her to step back and then pulled the oven door open. He checked the chicken and when he was sure it was fully cooked he pulled it out and set it on a hot plate. The water he'd put on was boiling and so he pulled Kagome over to him. "Okay, this is the easiest thing you could ever learn to make. Just add the noodles to the water and cook them for ten minutes or so." **

**Kagome put the square of noodles into the bubbling water. Following InuYasha's instruction she stirred the noodles around in the pan while he went over to grab the two other ingredients. "Now what are we going to do with these?" An idea popped into his head and he went to get a mixing bowl. He poured the hot sauce into the bowl and then grabbed the chicken. "Do you like spicy food?" He questioned holding both chicken breasts suspended in the air above the pan of hot sauce. **

"**Absolutely." Kagome nodded and then turned to watch as InuYasha dropped the chicken into the pan and mixed it around. He pulled then from the pan and set them on a cutting board and sliced them into chicken strips. Kagome was surprised by the simplicity of it. She knew little about cooking and never bothered much to learn. **

"**Okay, now what to do with the cheese." He scratched his chin in thought. "Is that ready Kagome?" he asked peering over her shoulder into the boiling water. **

"**Um…" Kagome used her spoon to pull some strands from the boiling water. "You tell me." She held the spoon out as an offering. He picked up a noodle and dropped it into his mouth. He nodded and smiled. **

"**It's perfect, good job." He took over from there taking the pan over to the sink and draining most of the water into the sink. He placed the pan of ramen on the stove and opened the bag of cheese. Adding it to the ramen he directed Kagome to stir the mixture. **

**After grabbing the plates off the table InuYasha dished up their servings and they sat to eat. Kagome began by pouring the wine into their glasses. She raised her glass to toast and smiled, "Here's to a great day." **

**InuYasha raised the toast but didn't add anything further. He was having a great time and he didn't want anything to change. By the time they finished eating and cleaned up their mess it was 1:19. They left and were back at work all too soon, or at least that's how InuYasha felt. He walked her to her office and hoped that she'd be thinking about him for the rest of the day; he knew he'd be thinking of her. **

**Chapter End**

**AN: Alright you just try and tell me you hated it…that's right, you can't can you? More to come soon. I stopped it a little early, but oh well, it's been too long since my last update and I needed to get it up. **

**Spoiler Chapter Eight Delivery For Kagome Higurashi**

**What's better than a scavenger hunt to get your heart racing and your mind working? Will Kagome be able to follow the clues and find InuYasha before time runs out?**


	8. Chapter 8

Okay So I'm terribly sorry for the epically long wait, I had a really wicked summer that consisted of little or no free time for writing! I'm sorry! I love you all and here is your update at last! It's pretty long so hopefully that will make up for the long wait :) enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own him, will forever cry in sorrow for that very fact.

Word Count: 7914

Chapter Eight Delivery for Kagome Higurashi

All in all InuYasha would have to say that his first two dates with Kagome had gone wonderfully. He knew by the end of the week he'd have at least a fighting chance at winning her heart. The date he had planned for that day had taken him several hours to work out and he was still working out a few minor kinks in the plan. It was seven am and he had five hours to be sure everything was in place. He called around looking for a place that would deliver his first clue to Kagome. He debated a few ideas and finally came up with one he liked. With his neat handwriting he scribbled a small message on a card to be delivered with a rainbow of balloons.

Then he prepared four others that would lead her around town and hopefully she'd find him before her timer was up. One thing he worried about was whether or not she liked him enough to try and find him. What if she just decided he wasn't worth the effort? Part of him wanted to call Sango and convince her to help him, but he didn't want to give Kagome any hint as to what was happening today, and he had already enlisted Sango's help for the next day's surprise. He decided to just have faith that Kagome would come and if she didn't make it before the hour was up then he'd just come back and give her hell. It sounded like a brilliant plan. Now it was all up to Kagome to put the clues together.

* * *

Kagome jumped out of her seat the moment the first knock sounded at the door. Instantly she recovered herself and tried to wipe the excited smile off her face. It was a relief to finally have something to look forward to every day other than work, and with Kikyo laying low recently there was only one thing to get her spirits down and today she wasn't going to worry about it. She knew eventually she'd have to tell InuYasha that she would be leaving but it didn't have to be today, or tomorrow, or the rest of the week. She slowed down as she reached the door and pulled it open with her jacket and purse already in hand.

Instead of InuYasha standing before her there was a mass of rainbow colored balloons and a tiny man with a clip board. "You Kagome Higurashi?" he asked in a gruff voice.

"Um, yes, that's me." He thrust the clip board into her hands and she signed it, then she took the balloons and reentered the room.

"What is that?" Sango raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "Is he taking you to the circus?"

"I can't say I'd be surprised." Kagome reached down for the weight that held the balloons in place. She saw a small note card and quickly pulled it off. "Pop?" she looked up at Sango.

"I assume he wants you to pop the balloons, but of course there is room for debate, I believe that could also be a sexual innuendo, though it is missing a few other suggestive words that would be necessary for it to make any sense." Sango smiled and Kagome just shook her head.

"Thank you Sango, I would never have guessed." Kagome walked to her desk and grabbed a paper clip, she popped the balloons one at a time waiting for something to appear. Then finally after she popped the red one another small note card floated to the tile floor.

"Well? Share with the rest of the class please." Sango said impatiently as Kagome tried to understand the words.

"It says 'Without Wax this place wouldn't exist, ask Waldo for directions. Your time starts now you have 30 minutes to find me.' Signed InuYasha." Kagome thought for a moment, trying her hardest to comprehend the meaning behind the words.

"Wax museum." Sango's answer was almost instantaneous.

"Brilliant! Okay, so now what do I do?" Kagome had never before in her life be a part of a scavenger hunt, especially not one with a prize like InuYasha.

Sango's face deadpanned. "Um, go there and find Waldo?"

"Yeah but what if he gives me another clue? I'm not exactly the best at word problems." Kagome threw on her coat knowing that Sango would have an answer for her.

"You know my number, call me and I'll help you out. Oh and don't be late." Sango smiled and Kagome raced out the doorway. It was noon now traffic was going to be terrible, there was no way she'd make it in 30 minutes unless she ran and drove like a maniac. She tore out the front doors at record speed and jumped into her car. Seconds later she was out of the parking lot and headed north.

Traffic was backed up halfway down the block as Kagome came within 300 yards of the Wax museum; she pulled into a no parking zone, shut off her car and started running. She was inside the museum a few minutes later breathing heavy and searching for Waldo. Now she was panicked, was there someone here named Waldo? Or perhaps there was a Where's Waldo wax replica. She didn't know either way she'd never been there, in all her years of living there. Standing in the back was a man in a red and white stripped tee shirt and blue jeans. If she recalled correctly that was the outfit Waldo wore.

She approached the man and there on his shirt was a name tag that read "Waldo" She paused for a minute looking at him and he smiled. "I'm sorry, I was told to come here for directions, can you help me?"

He smiled and nodded, "You arrived five minutes earlier than I expected. This is for you. Good luck." She took the folded paper from her and turned to leave.

"Thank you." She was out on the sidewalk before she got the letter opened. This hint made less sense than the last, she hoped that Sango would be able to help. She dialed the number as she jogged back to her car. Thank God there was so much traffic, no cop had gotten to it in time to give her a ticket. She pulled away from the curb as Sango answered.

"What's the clue?" She asked right away.

"Okay it says, 'The yellow bench in this park has the next hint folded in a paper tent.' Any ideas?" Kagome hoped she would figure it out instantly but this time she paused for a long moment.

"Hold on let me Google it, yellow bench right?" Sango started tapping out the words before Kagome confirmed.

"I've seen a yellow bench before, where was I?" Kagome thought back in her memory but it was just too distant a memory to recall.

"Here it is, Union Square Park has all the colors of the rainbow on their seven special benches in honor of children's' week." Sango paused for a second. "Man Kagome, InuYasha is good, this is like a onetime event taking place, next week and this wouldn't have worked out for him."

"Why? Do they repaint the benches after Children's week?" Kagome asked.

"Or just remove them, though I'm not sure why, anyway Union Square Park is where you need to be, call me when you have the next clue." Sango hung up and Kagome took off down the road, she was only a few blocks away from Union Square Park and she still had plenty of time.

The yellow bench was at the center of the park Kagome discovered as she ran up to it. It sat in a small clearing facing the east. Kagome didn't see a paper tent at her first glance, and even as she searched harder it was nowhere to be seen. Frustrated she sat down on the bench and rested for a moment. She needed to think. Leaning forward she rested her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. The wind picked up around her blowing her hair around.

From somewhere off behind her she heard the sounds of a small child playing, it seemed like he believed he was a pirate, with his 'Argh matey!' that he was shouting. Kagome turned to observe and there in a tiny sand box she hadn't noticed before was a young boy with a paper tent on his head. Kagome smiled, she had found her clue, and now all she had to do was retrieve it. She got up and walked over slowly so as not to alarm the child and when she stood over him he looked up at her.

"Are ye lookin' ta steal me booty?" he questioned with one eye squinted in a fake eye patch and a stick for a sword.

"Um, no." Kagome resisted the urge to laugh; she didn't want to upset the dread pirate. "I was wondering if I could take a look at your hat."

He glared at her for a moment, "I suppose ye may." He took off his hat and offered it to her.

Slowly she unfolded it and quickly read the words, memorizing them. She folded it back and returned the hat. "Thank you captain." She gave a mock bow and turned from him. As she walked away she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and called Sango.

"Let's hear it." Sango answered, she was quite on top of things.

"Okay, here it is, 'Harry's Hot Dogs is on the move order a pizza for your next clue'. Do they serve pizza at hot dog stands?" Kagome was jogging back to her car as she asked.

"Um, no, at least not that I am aware of, let me see, Harry's Hot Dogs. This one may actually be a tough one. Since Harry will clearly be moving around." Sango started typing in the name on her keyboard.

"That's so not what I want to hear right now." She started her car and let it idle as she waited for Sango to come up with her answer. "Find it yet?" She asked impatiently.

"I'm not seeing it anywhere; do they even list these types of things?" Kagome could hear Sango typing furiously.

"I don't know! I'm not a hot dog stand expert." Kagome sighed heavily, "Do they even have hot dog stand experts?"

"Sure they do, but I don't think they offer their services, wait a minute, I think I may know someone who might be able to help." Sango didn't like her idea, but she definitely knew one person who really enjoyed a street vender hotdog. "Give me a moment and I'll call you back."

Kagome nodded, and then remembered Sango couldn't see you. "Okay." She sat staring off into the distance as she waited on the phone to ring wondering who Sango might be calling. She heard a ringing noise above the roar of her cars engine and looked out the passenger window and low and behold there across the street from her was a rolling cart with a sign above it that read 'Harry's Hot Dogs' with the picture of a daushound in a bun.

Kagome laughed at her luck, and then thought that maybe InuYasha had planned it out this way. It did seem a bit too easy, but she wasn't going to complain. She jumped out of her car and headed across the street easily avoiding traffic. There was a three person line that only took a few minutes to get through.

Kagome looked up unsure at the greasy man who was serving the hotdogs on stale buns as he grunted. "What d'you want?"

Kagome faltered for a moment. "I'd like a pizza please." Kagome expected a strange look or even a rejection, but neither came instead he reached under his stand and pulled out a single serve pizza box.

"Here you go; it's already been paid for." He shoved it into her hands and she moved away quickly. She waited to be safely inside her car before opening the box, and as she pulled out the small slip of paper taped to the inside of the box her phone went off.

"I found it." She said into the receiver.

"Wait, you what?" Sango paused from shock.

"You heard me, I found it; it was right across the street from me." Kagome smiled broadly, then glanced down at the words. "Okay let me read it to you. Spin the Wheel to get in, be extremely HAPPY to fit in. The happy is all capital letters and underlined."

"Interesting, I think he's getting a bit too creative." Sango laughed a little. "Anyway let me check online for a place with happy in the name. And what about that spinning wheel? Have you ever heard about a place with a wheel you spin to get in?"

"No, never, but then I don't get out much." Kagome reread the note and tried rewording it to make sense in her head. "What's another word for happy?"

"Um, let's see here, cheerful, blissful, delighted, overjoyed, and the more controversial term gay." Sango listed off the words that she could think of and was thinking of others when Kagome squealed into the phone. "What is it?"

"GAY!" Kagome shouted, she kicked her car into gear and pulled out onto the street.

"Um, yeah, gay is definitely a term that means happy. Kagome what are you thinking?" Sango paused her internet search and waited eagerly for a reply.

"Gay! Sango you're a genus! Oh it's so simple! The Mint! Sango it's just around the block, oh I'm going to make it on time!" Kagome made a right turn and sped up but there was no nearby parking, she was going to have to walk.

"The Mint?" Sango put the words into a search engine. "Ah gay karaoke club, good idea, but I can't see why he would pick it. Would you mind asking him for me?"

Kagome laughed, "Of course I will Sango, well I'm here, wish me luck!"

"What do you need luck for girl? You've got him in the bag!" Sango grinned knowing Kagome wasn't going to admit she liked InuYasha.

"Uh, yeah, goodbye." Kagome hung up feeling awkward. She didn't want to get her hopes up, she wanted a short relationship that was fun for her before she had to go forever and InuYasha was her chance for that. She had already promised herself that she wasn't going to get too involved, and there was no way that he was thinking she was 'the one' or anything ridiculous like that.

Kagome quickly pushed away any negative thoughts in favor of having a good time, she approached the entrance to The Mint Karaoke Lounge and wasn't surprised to see it was crowded. She snuck in with a large group and was spared from spinning the wheel, or so she thought. "That's cheating." InuYasha whispered in her ear, resting a hand on the small of her back. "I'm glad to see you made it."

She smiled up at him wondering what made her so adverse to agreeing to these dates in the first place, other than her previous mentality of all men. "Oh please don't tell, I really can't afford to buy a round for the entire bar." She joked.

"I was rather hoping you'd get the third option." Kagome frowned, then followed his eyes up to the wheel. Option number three was 'Kiss your neighbor.'

She laughed, "I'm sure you were." She allowed him to lead her to a table at the back near the karaoke stand. "I have to ask, why The Mint? You know it's a gay bar, so why did you pick it?"

He chuckled as he sat down across from her. "It's the only karaoke spot open before noon."

"I see, so you were planning on singing?" She smirked at a mental image of him on stage in drag singing an Alanis Morissette song.

"Actually no," He frowned momentarily and she wondered if he was imagining a similar scenario in his head. "I was planning on you singing."

She laughed for a moment but it died out with the seriousness on his face. "You're kidding, right?"

He shook his head at her. "Absolutely not, you're going to be up on that stage before the hour is up."

"Well I hate to burst your bubble, but it's not happening unless you get up there and sing a Brittany song." She quirked an eyebrow at him daring him to say no.

He opened him mouth to respond when a waiter came around to take their drink orders. Their conversation would have to wait, and if she was lucky maybe he would just drop it. Deciding the best way for that to happen was for her to keep the waiter at the table as long as she possibly could. She listened to InuYasha order something exotic, she wasn't sure if it was an alcoholic beverage or not. The waiter turned his attention to her and flashed a big smile. "And for you miss?"

"Well, what all do you have?" Kagome glanced quickly to InuYasha but he didn't seem to notice her ploy. The waiter listed a long number of drinks with similarly exotic names as what InuYasha had ordered, then listed the regular alcoholic options and then went on to list all the non alcoholic beverages. She was going to have to tip this guy well, he had no idea how much he was helping. "Um, okay, what would you suggest?"

"Well, it's all good, but what kind of liquor do you prefer?" At this InuYasha's attention was on her, his eyes burning holes into her. She didn't understand the look and felt a bit weird.

She smiled and tried to think of some froo froo drink her mother had talked about. "Something light I guess, do you have anything similar to a Mai Tai?"

"Sure, is that what you want?" He held his pen to the paper waiting on her to confirm.

"Yes that sounds good." She turned back to InuYasha and he still had that look on his face. She was uncomfortable but at least now she could change the subject. "What is that look for?"

"Nothing," he shook his head and turned his attention to the door where several women stood around one big table all drinking from a giant martini glass.

"No, not nothing, what's going on? Why were you looking at me like that?" She reached across the table and touched his arm to get his attention back on her.

"I pulled out your file yesterday, reread through it all. It didn't list a reason for your hospitalization just that you'd been in a rehabilitation center and you'd completed your courses there. Anyway, my point is, I was just wondering, was your problem extremely bad to where I shouldn't be bringing you to places like this and allowing you to have alcohol?" His face showed clear concern, but Kagome knew there was a bigger problem in that.

"I wasn't there for alcohol addiction, I do however get carried away from time to time, thank you for your concern but I've been doing very well at keeping myself from drinking too much." She thought about the previous week and felt a bit of guilt at her own actions. "Well, for the most part."

"Oh, alright, well I just didn't want to make you feel like I was pushing you into drinking or anything by bringing you here." He frowned, "I'm sorry, I'm making this a drag, uh, no pun intended."

She laughed feeling the tightness in her chest loosen up. That was so not a conversation she was ready to have yet, especially not without InuYasha. "I'm going to run to the bathroom." She got up abruptly and moved around the room as fast as she could in search of the bathroom and once she arrived she almost wished she could stay there. She hadn't realized how suffocated she'd felt sitting there with InuYasha staring at her watching her squirm. Not that she thought he was doing it on purpose, he was just curious, as he should be, but she wasn't going to tell him about her bad decisions. She was trying too hard to keep control. She couldn't allow anything to slip.

She turned on the faucet and splashed some cold water on her face. Drying her face she took a deep breath and then headed out the door. She made it two steps before someone caught her by the arm. She turned fast only to see InuYasha there leaning into the wall. "I know there are things about you that you don't want to tell me, but please, I don't want to ruin this week. Can we just forget about it?" He pleaded with her and she had to look away from the sincere look in his eyes.

"Of course, come on let's eat." He smiled down at her and guided her back to their table. What happened after that was all a blur for Kagome, she remembered laughing and eating a large plate of fries, she vaguely recalled standing before the audience performing a duet with InuYasha. It was amazing how now standing outside her office she felt happiness she hadn't in a very long time.

"Thank you for lunch." She smiled up at him as he stood there staring down at her. She noticed he was holding something back from her and she was about to ask when he leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips. It was over before she had time to process the feeling.

"I'll see you tomorrow Kagome." He walked away with an air of confidence leaving Kagome standing there with her fingers where his mouth had been moments before. Finally regaining her composure she walked into her office still a bit dazed. She dropped her purse on her desk and threw her lab coat back on. She glanced around the room searching for Sango but the girl was nowhere in sight.

She shrugged and did her best to throw herself into her work; it was the best way she knew to distract herself from putting too much thought into a simple kiss. She heard a light thump coming from the other side of the room and she looked up confused. Rising from her seat she walked over to Sango's desk and there under the desk was Sango, who appeared to be hiding out for some reason. "Sango…what's going on?"

Sango looked up with a guilty smile. "I was uh…" she glanced around herself grasping for a valid answer that wouldn't make her seem crazy. "I was looking for a post it that I stashed under here several months ago with a formula I invented, I can't seem to find it."

"I see." Kagome said though she clearly didn't. "Would you like some help?" Kagome was starting to worry about her coworker, every day she seemed to lose a little more of her sanity, by the end of the week Kagome wouldn't be surprised if she was coming into work naked.

"Um, no, I'm just going to get up now and we can both pretend this never happened." Sango put her words into action and was standing next to Kagome seconds later. "Agreed?"

"Whatever you say Sango, I'm not going to tell the boss you're going nuts. What I think you should do is call your previous work partner and see if he remembers where you put that posted note." Kagome patted her friends arm then went back to her side of the room.

"Do you think he stole it?" Sango gasped at the idea.

Kagome looked up at an outraged Sango, "Sango I don't think he stole it, I think you're having memory loss issues and at this rate you won't be able to remember your name by next week. Maybe you need to take a few days off."

"I'm not forgetting things, things just keep moving around on me, hiding from me." Sango sighed heavily, annoyed at herself. "I swear to you! The rats for example, I marked them all so that I would know that each of them was in the correct tank, but still they are changing. They aren't following the correct patterns for their individual habits; somehow they are switching tanks when I'm not looking."

"Sango, you sound crazy, the rats have no way of moving unless someone is playing a prank. Have you thought about checking the security tapes?" Kagome was up and back across the room to assist her friend.

"That's a good idea, if he was here and stole my formula then I can prove that I was right and he was stealing my ideas." Sango picked up the phone but Kagome stopped her.

"Sango, calm down please, this is getting out of hand. How about we have him come over here and we ask him about it? Then we can check the tapes against what he says, at least give him a chance to defend himself." Kagome was standing up for someone she didn't even know, but she knew this was what was causing at least half of Sango's problems. Whoever that man was that she'd worked with they had more than just a coworker kind of relationship and it hadn't ended well. Kagome understood that much but now with Sango suddenly becoming paranoid she was pointing fingers wherever she possibly could. "Let's just call him and have him come over here, maybe he could help you out."

"But Kagome he doesn't like me!" Sango grumbled lowering the phone back to the cradle.

"Why doesn't he like you?" Kagome knew the only way to get answers was to take her time, and at the moment in Sango's current state of mind she needed to release something to help her cope.

"I don't know, he thinks I'm crazy, and I spend too much time working and not enough time having fun, and he said I was too serious, and I'm not pretty enough." She would have rambled on had not Kagome halted her list.

"You are beautiful Sango; you just need to relax and enjoy life, and take someone's advice every now and again." Kagome smiled at her friend. "Let's call him."

"You do it; he won't answer if he thinks I'm calling." Sango handed her the phone before she could protest and started dialing a memorized number. "His name is Miroku, call him that."

Kagome nodded as she waited for someone to answer the phone, finally after the third ring the line picked up. "Hello?"

"Um, Hi, I need to speak with Miroku, is he available?" She didn't want to make the assumption that she was speaking with him incase this was a secretary or some such person.

"This is him, who am I speaking with?" There were noises in the background and Kagome could tell he was multi-tasking.

"Hi, my name is Kagome Higurashi in the research department, I was wondering if you could come over for a consult?" She smiled reassuringly at Sango who was pacing in a distressed manner. She wished her friend would just relax.

"Sure Kagome, is right now fine by you? I've been looking for an escape from my office and you seem to be in a distressing situation, I'd love to help out." His voice hinted at more than helping her with a consult but she kept her temper in check.

"That would be wonderful." She grinned and gave him the lab number and then hung up after his promise of 10 minutes. "There, see, that wasn't so hard."

"Yeah because you were the one asking and not me. He's going to leave as soon as he figures out I'm here." Sango said matter-of-factly.

"As if, you're a damsel in distress, I'm sure he'll stay to help. Especially if you try relaxing and smiling a bit, maybe show him that you've lightened up a little bit." Kagome tried to motivate her friend.

"But Kagome I haven't changed, I've gotten worse. I'm a total wreck!" Sango walked to her rat tanks and watched as Ugly Betty ran in her rat cage which before the tests had begun she'd never done. "Oh my God!" She gasped as she had an internal epiphany.

"What is it Sango?" Kagome rushed over to observe, to her Ugly Betty's running didn't mean a thing.

"They are trading habits; they are following different patterns, but not just random patterns, the patterns of their neighbors." Sango frowned for a moment. She didn't want to say too much because this was her top secret research project, but then again, it was Kagome who didn't care what she was up to. "My genetic alteration should have created a bridge between the rats making them all uniform, somehow I've gotten something wrong and instead they are just switching between themselves."

"So you think this is why you've been going insane? Because your genetic alteration had a different reaction?" Kagome watched the rats unsure of what she was looking for, but Sango seemed to know.

"It makes perfect sense, I'm going to get two new rats and test the theory, it'll be a couple days before they arrive though, so maybe I should stop the tests of these till I've confirmed it." Sango paused for a moment contemplating, "I wonder, are they changing habits alone? Or could it possibly be something more?"

"What do you mean?" Kagome thought seriously about what she was trying to say. "Like they switch bodies? Like that freaky Friday stuff?"

"I don't know, it's very possible though, I'd have to test that theory further, but I think it's more of a mimic of sorts. My original alteration was supposed to make them all act in uniformity based on the alpha rat. Apparently there are either too many alpha's or they don't brood that way." She was thinking too hard Kagome could tell her face was scrunched up doing some sort of analyzing of her own. "I'd have to do research on rats, I think that's how I'll be spending my next two days."

Kagome was relieved that her friend seemed so much more level headed now that some things started making sense to her. She heard a light knock at the door but Sango was caught up in running figures and didn't hear it. Kagome smiled, now it was time to work some of her own magic. She grabbed a few files off her desk that she needed to take to processing and went to the door. "Hello, are you Kagome?" he asked unsure.

"Yes I am, my lab partner however is the one in need of your help, she's right inside, and please don't leave till I return I have a few questions as well but I need to run these to processing." She smiled innocently and he didn't even think twice as he entered the room. Her smile turned to a smirk as she left the two alone to work things out for themselves.

* * *

Miroku checked out Kagome's backside as he entered the room and found that he liked what he saw. He put her to the side knowing he needed to pay attention for this consult before having any fun. He looked around the room and at the far end spotted a dark haired girl leaning over a paper furiously writing. "Um, you needed a consult?" Miroku came closer but she didn't seem to have heard him. "Excuse me, miss?" He tapped her on the shoulder and she looked up quickly. He stepped back as if she'd burned him with her eyes. "Sango."

She grinned up at him and he frowned a bit confused, this wasn't the Sango he knew. "Hello, long time." Her broad smile didn't leave her face and he was curious what had her so happy. He was almost jealous of the source of her happiness.

"What do you need help with?" He walked over to her rat cages observing their habits. He took not of the name tags but didn't make any comment.

"Do you remember that formula I wrote? The one that I put on that purple post-it note?" Her smile didn't falter for a moment and he worried that maybe something was wrong with her.

"Yes, I recall you telling me you'd gut me if I ever touched it." He smiled at the fond memory that was before things had gone downhill for them.

"Yeah, about that, you know I didn't mean it." Sango's smile faded a bit and he almost begged her not to stop. Her smile was what he loved the most about her. "Anyway, I don't know what I've done with that post-it note and I need it."

"Did you figure the gene placement out?" he asked turning back to the rats his expression becoming as excited as hers.

"Yes!" She jumped up and down, "I've got the genes all figured out! It almost made me lose my insanity, if it hadn't been for Kagome I never would have realized that what I viewed as memory loss was actually my genes taking effect." Her smile wasn't leaving her face even as she animatedly spoke.

"This is amazing, how did you do it?" He turned back to her so she could show him the outline of her genetic alteration.

"It's simple really, you just switch these two right here, and then remove that one because it causes a confliction." He was leaning over her shoulder watching as she drew a quick sketch of what she'd changed. It really was amazing. "This here is what's been causing all my problems." She pointed to the now empty space where she'd erased the conflicting gene. "I need that formula to bridge this so that my alteration will do exactly what it's supposed to do."

He frowned. "Wait, what is it doing wrong with that formula?" She got up and maneuvered around him awkwardly, then proceeded over to her charts.

"Come here I'll show you." She waited till he was standing beside her. "Harry and Ron were two completely opposite rats, Harry liked the red dyed feed and won't eat the sunflowers, and Ron only eats the sunflowers. Harry never goes near the glass walls, and Ron is always looking for a way to escape." Miroku watched the rats for a moment then noticed that the name tags were backwards.

"Are you sure you just didn't get the names mixed up?" He asked pointing to Harry's name tag.

"That's what I thought at first, but then I spent an entire 32 hours observing them and watching for specific patterns in the behaviors, I'm not wrong, they are switching bodies somehow. I like how Kagome put it earlier when we first came to this conclusion, she said it was like the freaky Friday happenings." She shrugged at his skeptical look. "I know, but the only other thing I have to go on is that there isn't an alpha among this group or there are too many. I don't even know if rats have alpha males. I'm going to do some research."

"I think that would be best, but why do you need me?" He turned away from her, he didn't want to ask but it was something he needed to know.

"I need your help recreating that formula, since I can't find the only copy I had." She was pleading with him her smile replaced with a pouty lip.

"What makes you think I can help you?" He watched her frown momentarily as she thought up some lame excuse.

"Look I know I turned into a total bitch and forced you into leaving this lab, but I haven't forgiven myself for my actions. That day when we were talking about perfecting a duplicating gene you were the one who inspired me to write that formula. It was thanks to you that it even happened in the first place and then I screwed up. I got greedy and said some stupid shit, and I've been waiting for this chance to fix it." She smiled up at him, "So what do you say? Help me out?"

This definitely wasn't the Sango he had known a month ago, but she was definitely an improvement. He went ahead and took a moment to think it over, but only because he knew it would make her nervous and he loved to see her beg. "Well…I'm going to have to talk to InuYasha, convince him that I can work with you again, since you know that I took the blame for what all happened in this room that day."

She lowered her head in shame. "Yes, I do believe I remember." He lifted her head with a finger under her chin.

"I'll help you." Her smile was back even more radiant and more special because he had put it there. Now was his chance. He slid his hand down and went for a grab. She glared hard at him and he backed away as fast as he could. "And I'll work on my self control."

She laughed knowing that was never going to happen. "Thank you Miroku."

"I take it you two have kissed and made up?" Kagome smiled from the doorway.

"No, she wouldn't let me even if I begged, the little minx." He grinned at Sango's blush. He remembered all the times he'd made her blush before and all the times she'd turned red in anger at his roaming hands. The expressions weren't quite the same.

"That's a shame, Sango you should really play nice." Kagome laughed at Sango's appalled look. "Just kidding don't hurt me!" Kagome backed away slowly going to her desk.

"I'll talk it over with InuYasha then and see about coming back in here to work. I guess I'll see you once all the paper work is settled until then I would double check that your rats are really doing what you think they are." He suggested.

"Already planning on that, going to be getting a new shipment of rats Friday." She smiled again feeling relief rolling over her.

He paused for a moment at the door, wishing there was more he could say, but he wouldn't embarrass Sango in front of her coworker with something sentimental or foolish as she'd see it. He left the two alone and made his way to InuYasha's office.

* * *

"Seems like that went well." Kagome commented off handedly.

"Yes, I think it did, no thanks to you." Sango was leaning over her papers writing quickly. "Of course I made a complete idiot of myself for the first few minutes. For some reason I couldn't wipe this ridiculous grin off my face."

"Maybe you should give him a chance, you know, go out on a date with him sometime, it's obvious that you like him." Kagome was trying her hardest to make Sango see her own stubbornness.

"Like you have any room to talk, you're only going out with InuYasha because you were forced to do so." Sango grinned at her friends shocked expression.

"I am not! Well, okay it started that way, but I'm finding that I'm enjoying myself more and more every day." She knew the only way to make Sango admit her feelings was to admit her own feelings.

"Can we talk about this when I'm done figuring this out?" Sango asked clearly sidestepping any trap Kagome was laying out.

The rest of the work day went by quietly Sango fuming over her numbers and Kagome dissecting every possible meaning to that simple kiss. Finally the clock read five pm and Kagome filed her paperwork for the day. She was shocked when Kagome rose at the same time and headed to the door. "Where you going?" Kagome asked shedding her lab coat and grabbing her purse.

"Home, or maybe out somewhere for dinner, I haven't decided yet." Sango smiled.

"Wait…you're leaving? At five? Like before it gets dark outside?" Kagome followed Sango into the hallway still incredulous.

"Yes, I'm going to go have some fun! Can't a girl just be normal for once?" Sango threw her hands into the air exasperated.

"Of course, of course, let me just take a picture of you when we get outside, as proof." Kagome joked. Sango didn't glorify Kagome's joke with a reply, instead she just kept walking. They parted at the door each going their separate ways. As soon as Kagome was in her car she pulled out her cell phone and called Koga, she had been meaning to do this all week, but had yet to get around to it. It was time she told him that she would be going away forever.

End Chapter

AN: I try so hard not to make these chapters all serious, but I'm afraid they always take a turn for the worse. It's the suspense that I have to show in order for everything to move along with a plot. I did add a little Mir/San info, it will become important what they are doing so just keep that in mind J Ok so I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think! Leave a review! Sorry bout the long wait as well, that was due to negligence on my part! It may happen again since I just started college but I'll try and keep it near the top of my to-do list! I love you wonderful fans!

Spoiler Chapter Nine Kidnapped

What's worse than six dates with InuYasha? Getting kidnapped and then trying to explain why you stood him up…


	9. Chapter 9

So yeah! This has been a long awaited update! I finally took some time off life to get this done! I hope you all enjoy it! I had fun coming up with this chapter idea and it was hard to work out some minor details but its good I think! Let me know how you like it! Thanks to Fan25 for giving me the motivation to get this chapter done! This one's for you!

Chapter Nine Kidnapped!

Kagome was still feeling worried the next morning when she woke up. She had told Koga about what was going to happen, but he hadn't said a word. His silence was unexpected. She had hoped he'd get angry and tell her she couldn't go through with it, or even better she had hoped he would know some way to protect her from this. But he hadn't said a word, nothing helpful had come from him and he didn't seem to want to console her sadness either, instead he had clammed up and she had left his home. She hadn't slept well at all and her makeup barely did anything for the dark and noticeable circles under her eyes.

She pulled her hair up in a bun and pulled on a simple pair of white slacks. InuYasha hadn't given her any idea as to what he planned for today so she stuck with a simple yellow camisole. She hoped the light colors would hide her dark eyes. As soon as she was satisfied with her appearance she headed to her small kitchen. She wasn't as far behind today as she usually was, the fact that she had woken up two hours early had helped.

She made some toast and searched for the news report on TV. The weather was supposed to be bright and sunny and she hoped it stayed that way. Deciding it wouldn't kill her to be at work an hour early Kagome grabbed her toast and headed out the door. Having missed the rush hour traffic she made excellent time getting to work and when she walked into her shared office she found Miroku and Sango sitting close together their heads bent over a scrap of paper. Kagome was happy the pair was back to talking, Sango hadn't said much about the man but it was obvious he'd been causing her hidden pain. And when it was time for her to go it looked like Sango would have a lab partner still. So now she didn't have to worry about Sango.

"Good morning, have you figured it out yet?" Kagome went over to her desk not bothering with her lab coat.

"Not yet, but we have made progress." Sango looked up at Kagome beaming and noticed that something was wrong. "Is everything okay Kagome?"

Kagome forced a smile on her face "Everything's fine, just had some stuff I needed to get done today."

"Okay, hey I've got to run some files to processing, need me to take anything for you?" Sango got up from her chair with her files in hand and came across the room.

"Did your new rats come in yet?" Kagome asked pulling some files from her desk.

"No, but I'm going to go find out what's taking them so long." Sango smiled and when she was in arm's length of her friend she got a good look at her. Kagome hadn't gotten much sleep that was obvious, but there was something more that was wrong with her. Whatever had been on her mind for the past few days was really wearing the girl out. Sango remembered Kikyo's visit and wondered if that had something to do with it.

"Would you take these for me?" Kagome handed her files to Sango without looking up.

"Yeah sure, do you want some coffee? You look exhausted." Sango was trying to help but with Miroku in the room she doubted Kagome would talk to her.

"No that's okay." Kagome went on working filling out paper work and not looking up. Sango shrugged unsure what else she could do and headed out the door.

Out in the hall Sango ran into InuYasha who was pacing around outside their room. "You're here early."

"Yeah I saw her come in, she looks like hell. Did she say anything to you?" InuYasha looked like hell too but that was because he was stressing over Kagome. Sango thought it was interesting the way he was getting so attached to her. She had known InuYasha since she'd started working with Miroku and he never seemed like the type to settle down.

"No she's avoiding me, I left Miroku in there though so she's not alone." Sango started walking towards processing and InuYasha followed.

"Wait, why is Miroku here?" InuYasha frowned at her confusion in his eyes.

"I've been meaning to tell you, but this is only his second day here, I wasn't sure he was going to help me or not, but he agreed. I've made some really amazing breakthroughs and I need his help rewriting the formula for the DNA code I'm using because I lost the original copy." Sango filled him in but he didn't seem to appreciate her words.

"Sango I took your side last time something went wrong, but whatever happened didn't only hurt you, Miroku was pretty upset about it too. And if something goes wrong this time I'm going to want the whole story." InuYasha wasn't taking a second chance on the pair; he knew there were too many things that could go wrong.

"Don't worry, we talked and we're both going to behave, and we have Kagome to keep us in check." Sango smiled and InuYasha believed she would keep her word.

"Now about Kagome, you still in on this plan? Or do you think I should cancel? I'm not sure she looked like she was up for another crazy game today." InuYasha admitted.

"I think maybe you should take her somewhere she can relax; I know she likes the water, maybe to the beach or something?" Sango suggested.

"Yeah good idea, I think I know just the place." InuYasha smiled down at Sango, "Thanks."

"You're welcome, see you later." Sango turned and took the door into processing and left InuYasha to come up with his new plan for the date.

InuYasha went to his office and started his planning, there were only a few things he would need. But before he could get started he needed to call Miroku and make sure he wasn't going to get himself in trouble. He called Sango's office knowing that would be the easiest way to reach him.

Miroku picked up the line on the first ring, "Hello boss."

"Why are you helping Sango?" InuYasha cut right to the chase.

"Well it's nice to hear from you too." Miroku pretended to sound hurt.

"Just answer the question." InuYasha growled.

"She called me down here for a consult, well actually Kagome did the calling but Sango put her up to it, and so I came down here and it seems she needs help rebuilding her formula because she lost it." Miroku explained, he sounded different somehow. "Seems like the minx needs my help, and you know I can't pass up an offer like that."

"Miroku if you don't behave yourself I'm not going to go easy on you this time." InuYasha warned his friend.

"I know boss, I'll be good I swear, and maybe Sango will take me back as her lab partner." Miroku was just hoping she would, InuYasha doubted it.

"If she agrees then fine, but we'll have to move all three of you to another office, you'll need the space." InuYasha hoped Kagome wouldn't mind watching the pair.

"Or you could promote Kagome to your assistant." Miroku pointed out. "You know what I mean?"

"Shut it Miroku." InuYasha debated asking his next question. "Is she there?"

"Yes but she's very distracted today, not even paying attention to me, my feelings are hurt." Miroku informed his friend.

"Leave her alone Miroku." InuYasha didn't want to have to hurt his friend, but he would if the pervert laid a hand on Kagome.

"Relax man, I know she's taken, and besides, she thinks she's going to set me and Sango up, I wish she'd succeed." Miroku smiled at the thought of his former lab partner.

"Can you find out what's wrong with her?" InuYasha really didn't want to ask Miroku, but Sango hadn't been able to help. InuYasha thought about calling Koga, he still had the matchbox from the bar and he wondered if maybe he would get some answers there. The only problem was he still hadn't figured Koga out. He was pretty sure Koga was into Kagome, but if Kagome had been telling the truth about him making her accept these dates with him.

"I can try, but I'm not making any promises." Miroku hung up the phone after promising to call back if he found out anything. He got up from Sango's desk a piece of the formula in his hand. From what Sango had told him Kagome was an expert in molecular biology.

"Could you look at this for me and tell me if this combination would cause a disfigurement?"

Kagome looked up at him shocked for a moment. "Umm." She took the paper and looked over the DNA combination. "You should switch these here or you'll get frayed." She looked over the diagram some more. "This has too many chromosomes, take a few out here and here, or you'll have a lot of genetic diseases to deal with." She circled the two spots as she pointed them out to him.

"Hey Kagome I don't mean to be rude but are you feeling okay? You look like you've been hit by a bus." Miroku hoped she didn't tell InuYasha he said that, but sometimes asking straight forward questions got you more answers.

"Just having a bad day I guess." Kagome shut him out but for his friends sake he kept trying.

"Is there anything I can get for you? Maybe you should take the rest of the day off." This time she figured him out.

"InuYasha put you up to this didn't he?" Kagome looked up at him and he thought maybe she had a hangover. Her behavior did match.

"Yes he did, he's worried about you and I can see why." Miroku was being rude again, but he thought his tactic was working.

"Do I look that bad?" Kagome had thought her makeup would cover up her dark circles, but then these florescent lights were never good for her complexion.

"You don't look good." Miroku paused. "Well I mean you look good don't get me wrong, you just don't look like you feel good."

Kagome laughed a little. "I know what you mean, and thank you, but I need this distraction."

"Well if there is anything I can do to help let me know, and call InuYasha so he'll stop worrying about you." Miroku winked and took the paper back. "Oh and thanks." He waved the paper and went back to Sango's desk. Kagome smiled and debated his advice. Calling InuYasha wouldn't make her feel better though. It would just leave her feeling weak. Koga had asked her if she planned on telling him but Kagome just couldn't. She knew her dates were over after Saturday, she was going to say good bye to him and then put in her notice and after that all that she'd have to do was pack. After Saturday it would all be over, that was what she had promised Koga, and that was how it had to be done.

Instead of calling InuYasha she found her cellphone and went out into the hall to call Koga. It was still driving her nuts not knowing what he was thinking. He hadn't objected to her going like she thought he would, and that confused her.

"Kagome? What's wrong?" Koga always answered that way when it was her, like she was always getting into trouble and she needed him to fix it. Most of the times it was true.

"Um hey, nothing's wrong, just uh wanted to talk, you were kinda quiet last night." Kagome had never felt this awkward around Koga his presence had always been so comforting.

"Yeah had a lot to process again, I needed to think." Koga was still distant with her and it was starting to drive her nuts.

"Are you mad at me?" it was the only way she was going to get the truth from him.

"Of course not Kagome! What would make you think that?" He didn't like having this conversation over the phone, but she wasn't giving him an option.

"You're acting strange, not talking to me and I don't like it." Kagome admitted.

"Kagome, I didn't mean to upset you, I just needed to think, and to get some information." Koga ran his hand through his hair, he didn't want to tell Kagome what he was planning, not yet, he still needed more information and to talk to someone and he wasn't looking forward to the meeting he had planned but it was coming up within the hour.

"I'm not upset, well okay maybe that's a lie, but I just don't want to lose you, not because of everything that's happening." Kagome sounded stressed and he wondered how much sleep she'd gotten last night.

"I know, I don't want to lose you either, just trust me, I'll figure this out." Koga wished he had something better to tell her, but until his meeting he wasn't going to say anything more.

"I didn't sleep at all last night, I tried, but I was just so worried that you were mad at me. You were too quiet last night, and I've never known you to just leave me hanging like that. Plus everything else that's going on I'm just not sure about anything anymore." Her words were speeding up and running together and he had a hard time getting her attention.

"Slow down and relax, why don't you take the rest of the day off? You sound like you need it and I'm sure if InuYasha will understand." Koga wasn't sure if he was helping her at all but it sounded like she was going to have a panic attack.

"Yeah maybe, I just don't want to run away from my life because I'm scared." Kagome sounded unsure again and he wondered how it had been for her the last time she'd run from reality.

"Kagome one day off is not running scared, look, I have to go, just think about it and talk to InuYasha if you need to, you can call me later if you want." Koga was headed out the door as Kagome hung up. He wasn't sure he was doing the right thing going behind her back like this but he was sure he was doing it for the right reasons. He hopped in his truck, he'd be a few minutes early but he wanted some answers and he would need time to prepare himself mentally for meeting Sesshomaru. From what Kagome had told him the night before he wasn't a very pleasant man, but he was getting the job done and so Koga could respect that.

When he arrived at Sesshomaru's office the man didn't making him wait long and for that he was thankful. He hadn't explained fully why he was coming to speak with him, just that he was a friend of Kagome's and Sesshomaru had obliged and given him the appointment.

The secretary was a small woman, not more than five foot he would say, with short black hair and a young face. "Sesshomaru will see you now." Koga thanked her and went into the office behind her desk.

As he opened the door and walked in, Sesshomaru looked up from his desk that was neatly scattered with papers. "Thank you for letting me in here to talk to you."

"I understand why you are here, but I am not someone who would take advantage of a client." Sesshomaru clearly wasn't one who needed to be told to cut to the chase.

"It's not that, I just know how Kagome is, she never asks questions and I wanted answers that I knew she couldn't give me, that's why I wanted to talk with you." Koga didn't feel comfortable standing in the man's presence so he took a seat in one of the fine chairs before the desk.

"Fair enough, how well do you know Kagome's situation?" Sesshomaru shuffled some papers keeping busy and that made Koga relax a little.

"She's told me everything, and I know you've helped a lot and I thank you for that, but she's having a tough time with all of this and I wanted to know a few things." Koga saw the shock on Sesshomaru's face when he'd told him he knew it all.

"I can't believe she told you, it took me several months to get the whole story out of her, and I can be very persuasive." Sesshomaru met Koga's eyes with approval.

"Yeah well it took her a long time to tell me too, I just didn't know anything had happened up until last week. I mean I knew about the rehabilitation but I never asked her what it was for, she never seemed willing to offer the information." Koga explained.

"Oh I see, tell me, what did you want to know?" Sesshomaru watched Koga carefully wondering just what this man wanted, he'd dealt with similar cases in the past and he'd never had someone come in on behalf of one of his clients, it was new for him.

"I don't know very much about witness protection, but does she have to do it?" Koga had seen his fair share of TV and from what he'd picked up it was an optional part of being a key testimony.

"No, she doesn't but in this case I would strongly advise it. And Kagome knows it's not mandatory, but like I told her with these people that we are dealing with they wouldn't go after her, not first anyway, they would torture her by killing her family, you, anyone she knows. It's not something we can protect her from in any other way." Sesshomaru explained.

"So once she's a part of this program she'll never see her family again?" Koga was clearly upset by this, and Sesshomaru knew the feeling, it was unfair losing the ones you loved.

"Never, and if she tries she'll put them at risk." Sesshomaru didn't bother with being nice, Koga wasn't here for that, he was here for answers.

"Why haven't they taken her to a safe house yet?" Another piece of information he'd gathered from TV.

"We haven't gotten approval from the attorney general at this time, and yes she is safe, there are only five people who know she is testifying and they have all been approved by me to have this information." Sesshomaru was surprised by Koga's knowledge and wondered if he'd done his homework before coming, of course he appreciated that because he didn't have time to waste explaining things.

"Why can't her family go with her?" This was a tricky question, as far as Koga knew the government would protect both Kagome and her family or they should.

"At this time that isn't possible because the federal government is not providing the protection, by California protection laws we can't afford to protect all of them. Kagome will be fine alone, she is strong." Of this Sesshomaru was sure.

If only Sesshomaru knew how wrong he was, Kagome didn't even know how to cook for herself. Living completely alone without anyone she could trust would be impossible for her. Now it was time for the million dollar question. "Can I go with her?"

"I'm afraid not." Sesshomaru shook his head.

"Can't you just process me with her I'll pay whatever I have to, for the name change, and the relocation, I just need to know she'll be alright." Koga frowned, this wasn't going to work he could already tell. Sesshomaru had already shut him out.

"I know she is your friend and you care for her welfare, but Kagome will be fine, she'll have a US Marshal watching over her and a chance at a new life in a new town, I know this will help her with a few of her other problems." Sesshomaru was clearly speaking of Kikyo.

"It won't fix her guilty conscience and it won't make her happy." Koga was done here there was nothing more he could say to make Sesshomaru change his mind. Sesshomaru let him leave before he picked up his phone. He now had some ground control to take care of, and Kagome would have to be brought to him now that Koga was all riled up he would need to speak with Kagome and make sure she stayed cool about the situation. He was counting on her testimony, and he couldn't have her backing out. He made his calls hoping he could avert this crisis.

"Mr. Bane please go to the LabTech offices and bring Kagome to me, we need to have a chat, don't panic her though, just grab her and get her here." Sesshomaru hung up and went out to his secretary. "Rin, Kagome will be coming in for an emergency meeting please cancel all my conference calls until one."

"Yes sir, do you want them rescheduled?" She asked from her desk.

"Yes please, just move them where you think would be best, I trust your judgment." He went back into his office and continued working on his paperwork. Mr. Bane would have Kagome here before he knew it.

* * *

Time had passed by a lot faster than Kagome had realized. She was starting to get irritated by the worried looks she was getting from Sango and Miroku and so she made her escape. It was only 11 so she had plenty of time to make a trip to the bathroom before InuYasha would be over to pick her up.

When she finally saw herself in the mirror she saw what Sango and Miroku had meant, she didn't look very well at all. She turned the faucet on and let the water run splashing some on her face. She dried her face with some paper towel and thought she looked a little better. She watched herself in the mirror wondering if she'd feel any different as a new person.

She didn't feel any better as she left the bathroom and headed back to her office, she just hoped InuYasha wouldn't notice how crappy she looked. She was turning the corner when someone grabbed her arm turning her around.

"Kagome Higurashi?" The tall man standing over her had deep set eyes, thin lips and a scar along his left cheek. Kagome was startled and would have screamed if his hand hadn't covered her lips. "I need you to come with me." He pulled her around the corner and she saw they were headed toward the elevator. Kagome didn't have time to panic but there was no need. He pushed through the door of the stair case and hurried her down the steps.

Kagome didn't like him touching her, his hand over her mouth was terrifying so she reached up to pull it away. He didn't fight her, just kept leading her down the stairs. "What do you want with me?"

"I'm just here to escort you." He had his hand on her arm above her elbow and was guiding her out to a back door. She hadn't ever used this door and hadn't even known about it.

"Wait! Where are you taking me?" Kagome tried to pull away from him but his grip tightened. They were outside but she didn't see anyone around. She wondered if screaming would help.

"Don't scream, and I'm not going to hurt you. Just get in." He opened the front door to the black escalade they had come to a stop at.

Kagome was hauled into the seat awkwardly and the door shut behind her before she had the chance to get seated properly. When he got in on the other side she heard him lock the doors, like that would stop her, and then he started the engine. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"

Kagome reached into her pocket looking for her cell phone and realized she must have left it in her lab coat. InuYasha was going to kill her, if he ever found her.

The man never answered just pulled away from the curb. She watched the roads closely trying to figure out where they were going and when she realized they were relatively near Sesshomaru's office she wondered if this was his doing. "Do you work for Sesshomaru?"

Instead of answering he pulled up to the curb of a building she didn't recognize and got out. If she was right Sesshomaru's office was just a few blocks down. He opened her door and pulled her out. "We're almost there."

"Why are you doing this? What's going on?" As they entered the building Kagome realized it was an empty warehouse.

"Stay here, I need to check the perimeter." He left her standing in the middle of an empty room. She paced for a while waiting on him to return. She thought about leaving, but Sesshomaru had told her if the Attorney General approved her case someone would be coming for her.

As far as she was concerned the man who brought her here hadn't done it to harm her. "Good you're here." Kagome jumped and spun startled by the sudden voice. When she saw Sesshomaru standing there behind her she felt her breath whoosh out of her.

"So you are responsible. You know a little warning next time would be nice." She had half a mind to yell at Sesshomaru even more but when she got a good look at him and saw his face she held her tongue.

"Warning is not something l offer and you know that. When I want to see you I make the necessary arrangements." His arrogance never seemed to faze her but this was ridiculous.

She tapped her food a glare still on her face. "Is there something you want then?"

"Your friend came to visit me today; he didn't seem to think you were informed of all your options." Sesshomaru explained seeming a bit irritated himself.

"Koga? What was he thinking?" She frowned, she had just spoken to him, he hadn't said anything about going to see Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru read her confusion easily. "He wanted to go with you."

"Is that possible?" Her face lit up hope in her eyes.

"If the California Government could afford it I would send your entire family, but it can't be done since they are not fully at risk like you are. Now if you were married or had children that would be different. A spouse and any children would be allowed to go. Friends however are not a part of the deal." Sesshomaru offered her information that she had only partly grasped before. She never thought of what would have happened if she were married.

"Are you hinting at something?" She raised an eyebrow and held his eyes.

"I just want you to know all of your options." He returned.

"I see, and your advice on the subject?" She wanted him to tell her it was okay to wish there was someone she could take with her, but she knew it wouldn't happen.

"I offer none." His voice held no emotion, and she wouldn't try to make something out of his words. He clearly wasn't going to give her a straight answer.

"Then is that all? Can I go? Cause I have somewhere to be." She needed time to process this new information and make a decision.

A small smirk graced his lips. "Ah yes, your date with my brother."

Her mouth dropped open her eyes narrowed. "How do you know about that?"

"Kagome, you are being watched, for your protection only of course." He said this like it was common knowledge and yet he'd never told her anything about this being watched deal.

"I'm what? You are joking right? This is outrageous, I can't believe you! You need to back off!" She was fuming and on the verge of slapping him. He had no right.

"No l will not, I will not have you walking around unprotected." He stood his ground but she knew he would not apologize.

"I thought you trusted everyone who knows abort my testimony!" There had to be a better reason for him watching her, she knew he'd told her he trusted the ones who knew but then why the protection?

"I do, I would not lie about that. But I do not like making arrogant mistakes." He shifted on his feet his body language insisting he didn't like her accusation.

"Why wasn't I informed?" She wasn't worried about hurting his feelings she wanted her answers and she would do what she had to in order to get them.

"There was no need to worry you." He avoided her question.

"Screw that Sesshomaru! If you don't keep me informed on any matter involving me I will make things very difficult for you." She was using the only leverage she had and he knew it.

"Don't threaten me, you know as well as l do that you are going to give your testimony." He was now pissed off, which was going to make this more difficult.

"I'm not saying I'm going to back out, I'm saying I'll bring Rin into this." He bristled at her name and she knew she had his attention now.

"You wouldn't dare, she is protected just as you will be and if it weren't for her you wouldn't be in this situation, l worry for you like I do for her." His words were only half true and she knew it.

"We both know that isn't true, you kept her around because you love her, you are protecting her with your name because you couldn't stand to see her go." Kagome knew this information only because Rin had been there when Sesshomaru had come to seek her out as a client. Rin had convinced her to help Sesshomaru by telling her of her own success. Kagome had put all the other pieces together on her own, the fact that Sesshomaru had married Rin to give her his name and at the same time offer her protection was only half for her safety. Sesshomaru still hadn't told Rin his feelings for her and his reasons for marrying the girl. Although Kagome was almost positive she felt the same way. They were both too stubborn.

"That is none of your business." He growled.

"Just like my dates with InuYasha are none of yours." She countered, giving him a look that he glared at.

He gave her a sigh instead he couldn't do anything else. "You've got a lot of nerve."

"And that's why you're going to tell me what else you've been keeping from me." A small triumphant smile settled on her lips, she knew she had won.

"Very well." He gave in like she knew he would.

"Before we start could l use your phone?" She held out her hand and he gave her his cellular.

"Calling to cancel?" He smirked his anger had passed and no longer showed on his face. She always did wonder at his composure but he never seemed to lose it for very long.

She rolled her eyes. "None of your business remember?" She gave him her back and walked away a few paces while she dialed out hoping she got the number right and when InuYasha picked up she was reluctant to say hi.

"Kagome? Why are you calling from my brother's phone?" His voiced was tense and worried, he knew something was wrong.

"Well he kind had me picked up from work suddenly for a talk." She wasn't really sure explaining how he had her picked up would go over too well.

"Picked up suddenly? Or kidnapped?" Damn if he wasn't too smart for his own good.

"It wasn't like that! Well okay maybe a little, but l just wanted you to know that I'm fine but I won't be able to make lunch." She hated saying the words; she hated the fact that she wasn't going to make it.

"That unbelievable prick! Where are you? I'm coming to get you" His growl resonated over the phone and she was sure Sesshomaru could hear him over the line.

Kagome had a feeling this was going to be bad. "Whoa hold up, it's alright InuYasha just calm down—"

He didn't let her finish. "Don't Kagome, just don't, now tell me where you are."

"InuYasha, please, I don't even know where we are, some empty warehouse near Sesshomaru's office. Just calm down, I'll be back to work soon, I'm sorry." She felt bad but there wasn't anything she could do, he hung up without saying anything.

She walked back over to Sesshomaru and handed him his phone. "Sorry about that, now back to what you need to tell me."

* * *

InuYasha felt his blood boiling in his veins, his brother had no right to take such liberties with Kagome. He continued on his way to Kagome and Sango's office he wanted to give Sango a heads up that Kagome wasn't going to be coming back till he returned with her. When he knocked on the door and entered he found Miroku and Sango sprawled on the ground both of them lining up post it notes in what appeared to be a random sequence.

"I'm not going to ask." He raised his hands as the pair looked up at him.

"Oh thought you were Kagome! Have you seen her? She ran out a while ago I think she was upset about something." Sango frowned at Kagome's desk.

"She's with my brother, I'm going to go pick her up. I just wanted you to know it'll be a bit before I bring her back." InuYasha tried not to show his anger but he was feeling a bit like a loose cannon.

"Wait a minute, InuYasha why is she with your brother? Isn't that a bit odd?" Miroku raised an eyebrow feeling left out of the loop.

"She's a client of his, he's her attorney." Sango explained her eyes never leaving InuYasha's face. "Are you okay? Kagome didn't tell me about any appointment with him."

InuYasha tensed. "It wasn't planned, he had someone pick her up."

"Pick her up?" Sango noticed the dark look in his eyes and knew there was more to this than she was being told.

"Yeah he sent one of his goons in here to escort her to some warehouse." InuYasha seethed over the words.

"You mean they kidnapped her?" Miroku asked, still not completely grasping the situation.

"Exactly, my brother has crossed the line again." Their conversation was interrupted when a cell phone rang on Kagome's side of the room. InuYasha moved over to her desk and fished her phone from her pocket. It was Koga, InuYasha debated answering it but he didn't want to have to explain to Kagome and it wasn't like he wanted to talk to Koga anyway. He silenced the ring and put the phone in his pocket.

"Who was that?" Sango watched him head back to the door.

"Koga, I'm going to get Kagome, I'll bring her back after lunch." He stepped out of the room before she could ask anything else. He wasn't sure exactly where Kagome was but he knew she was in an empty warehouse somewhere near Sesshomaru's office building and there weren't many of those in that part of town.

He made a few phone calls to get an idea as to where he should look and once he was in his car he took off down the road. He was imagining all the ways he was going to throttle his brother when he finally turned onto the main street where his brother's office was located he decided he'd need more than five minutes to kill his brother.

He got lucky; he turned into a vacant parking lot which had one single car parked there. It was his brother's black escalade. He pulled into the spot next to his brother and got out. The side door was open a crack and InuYasha didn't waste his time sneaking around. He heard Kagome's voice, she sounded upset so he moved faster.

"The taps were only temporary, I needed to be sure you were safe." The sound of Sesshomaru's voice pissed him off and led him to a big open foyer.

"What else is there? Or is that finally it?" Kagome was leaning against a cement support looking defeated and even worse than she did when he'd seen her walking into work this morning.

He stepped into the room and moved toward Kagome. For some reason he felt he had to protect her from his brother and so he shielded her with his body and turned to his brother, who didn't seem a bit surprised.

"InuYasha what the hell are you doing here?" Kagome stepped around him and placed her hand on his chest sensing his aggression.

"I came to get you." InuYasha held his ground he wasn't going to let her talk him into letting her stay. Not with the way he wanted to kill his brother right now.

"InuYasha that's nice really, but Sesshomaru and I have business to discuss." Kagome turned to look at his brother.

"Actually Kagome that's all there is to tell you, you know how to reach me if you have questions." Sesshomaru was gone in a flash.

InuYasha didn't like him walking out because he wanted a fight, but he relaxed considerable once he was gone. "I'm sorry but my brother shouldn't be allowed to take such liberties with you."

"And this had nothing to do with me missing our lunch date?" Kagome smiled up at him despite her words.

"Only a little, I knew you weren't having a good day to start with, and him pulling his stunts just pissed me off, I shouldn't have over reacted I guess, but it seemed like a good idea to start with." He liked her hand on him, couldn't explain it but he liked her touch. He reached up and took her hand in his.

She blushed a little and that brought a broad grin to his face. "So where are you taking me to lunch?"

"It's a surprise, but it'll definitely give you some time to relax. Come on." He kept her hand and pulled her after him.

* * *

"You can open your eyes now." He let go of her hand and pulled the picnic basket from the backseat of his car.

"Oh my god! What is this place? It's so beautiful!" Kagome took in the general splendor of the large house on the hill but what she really liked was the pond off to the left of her. The water was dyed a soft green but the color was clear enough she could see into the depths. There were several small fish at the edge. She loved the water and this was a very simple and pleasant surprise.

"This was my father's estate and it's now mine." InuYasha didn't like boasting but he wasn't going to lie to her.

"Oh my, it's wonderfully truly." She moved over to the water she wanted to get in but of course she wasn't wearing the right clothing for that.

"Over here Kagome." He was over by a large tree that sat up next to the bank. He unfolded a large blanket onto the grass and set down the basket.

Kagome went over to assist him she pulled out some plates and napkins and he set up the food. She looked at the fresh fruit and the cheeses and he'd even had some sunflower rolls packed. She recognized them from the one other time she'd had them at a fine dining restaurant with her mother. "How did you manage all of this?"

"Actually this was last minute, I was going to take you to the fair, but I thought this would be better, I wanted you to relax." He smiled at her politely offering her a cup of wine.

"You didn't have to do all this." Kagome had gotten used to InuYasha's exciting dates but this was more than just that. He had obviously seen how bad she looked and the fact that he was doing this just to give her time to relax seemed to make it complicated. Not to mention the fact that she wanted him to kiss her again.

"Yes I did." He offered her some grapes and she took a small bunch.

"I'm sorry about your brother, it wasn't planned." Kagome looked away from him she had been relieved when Sesshomaru had left because she could tell InuYasha had been ready for a fight.

He seemed to tense up at her words. "He shouldn't have done that to you Kagome, but just don't mention it, I brought you here so you can just forget about everything." He noticed her watching the water and remembered Sango saying she liked the water.

"Forgetting is hard." She muttered her eyes watching the water lap against the bank.

"Do you want to go out on the lake?" He asked her gaining her attention.

"Could we?" She wasn't going to touch her food; she couldn't even think about eating.

"If you want." He went to stand up and once he was on his feet he reached down to help her up.

"I'd love to." She kept his hand after he helped her up and allowed him to lead the way.

He walked her over to the dock where a small row boat was tied on and he stepped in and steadied the boat. "Don't slip." He cautioned as she knelt down to get in.

He handed her in, untied the boat from the dock and pushed them off. "Thanks." She sat down trying to keep the boat from sloshing on the water.

"So why did you pick microbiology?" InuYasha asked sitting across from her and taking the ores into his hands. He guided them across the water at a slow rate not in any rush.

"I like knowing how things work, how small cells make up entire beings and how they all work together. I've always liked solving problems and doing them on a molecular level gives me insight to how human bodies operate." She laughed offhandedly "I guess that seems a bit strange."

"No it's not, I like that you actually did something because it interested you. Business isn't exactly my passion, I'd rather be out travelling." He pulled the ores in they were near the middle of the pond he would let the boat drift for a while.

"Where would you go? If you could travel." Kagome leaned on the edge of the boat gently so as not to tip it.

"Anywhere, everywhere, I'd start with India I think, I've always wanted to see what the Taj Mahal looks like up close, and China too of course, I would like to take a hike on the great wall." His smile was broad and his eyes held a faraway gleam.

"That sounds lovely." She met his smile with her own and turned her attention to the water. She draped her fingers in the water gently.

"Would you like to get in? There are fish but they won't bother us." He offered.

"I have nothing to wear." She looked down at her poor choice in clothes. She couldn't wear white in the water it would look terrible.

"Well I do happen to live right up the hill I can arrange for towels to be brought down and a set of clothes for you that I'm sure will fit you just fine. My brother's wife Rin comes over sometimes and she has a room of her own here, some of her things would surely fit you." He knew she needed this small amount of reckless fun and he wanted her to take the opportunity with him.

"It wouldn't be inappropriate?" She looked hopefully up at him her fingers still treading the water.

"Not at all, I'll even go for a swim with you. Though the water may be a bit cold." He reached in his pocket and before she had even agreed to get in the water he made a call up to the house attendant on duty to have fresh towels brought to the dock along with a set of his clothes and Rin's clothes.

"All set then?" Kagome sat up and took off her shoes and socks and pulled her hair down.

"Yup," He followed suit and then stood up and helped her to her feet. "Ladies first." He smirked.

"Indeed they are." She didn't offer another word just stepped to the edge of the boat and dove in. It felt good in the water even if it was a bit cold. It was crystal clear and she saw the fish scatter as she moved around under the surface. When she finally came back up for air InuYasha was floating a few feet away. She shivered a little as the wind picked up and hit her face.

"Told you it was cold." He moved around in the water trying to keep himself warm. "So when was the last time you did something like this?"

"What do you mean like this? The last time I went swimming? I'd say it's been several years." Kagome leaned back in the water allowing her to float on her back.

"No I meant something this impulsive, because I think you need to do it more often." He watched her float delicately loving the brilliant smile on her face that was both the peaceful and simple that she so needed.

"Oh yeah? Why is that?" She asked spreading her arms out in the water.

"Because you look radiant, and serene, and I would like to keep you like this forever." His words were startling and not only to her. It had been impulsive for him to say them but he would never regret them, they were as true as the sky were blue.

Her float stopped as she straightened in the water. "You must know that I was unsatisfied with that kiss yesterday."

"Oh? From where I was standing I thought you quite enjoyed it." InuYasha hid the disappointment in his words.

"Well, it was a fair kiss I suppose, but it was rather chaste and hardly even qualified as a real kiss." Kagome gave him a soft smile. "I believe for a proper kiss I should at least be allowed time to respond."

His mouth literally dropped open and she laughed with delight. "You're saying I should have ravaged you there outside of your office?"

"Well no, of course not, that would have been a bit too much; however," She paused long enough to glide over to him in the water and when she was a few inches away she continued. "It would have been much more satisfying if I could have kissed you back." It was bold and she loved the obvious power she held over him, he was drooling over her and she quite enjoyed it.

"Well may I be granted a second chance?" His voice deepened adding a husky sound to it that made her insides hum.

"I suppose something could be arranged, since you asked so nicely." She reached up a hand to touch his wet hair. It was still soft despite its dampness. Her hand moved up to his cheek in a soft stroke and then she pulled him closer to her capturing his lips with her.

It was wild and reckless and totally impulsive and InuYasha loved it, every second of their contact, but it was interrupted too soon. The house attendant had snuck onto the deck and had left the clothes and towels without a word but the need to stay above water was what had kept them from staying locked together. "Are you ready to get out?" InuYasha wanted her to say no, but he knew she hadn't eaten much and he wanted to make sure she got some food in her before they left to go back to work.

She laughed lightly and swam around him for a minute. "Never!" she shouted but all the same she finished her circle around him and headed to the small boat.

He helped her board the boat and then pulled himself in and took them back to shore. He handed her out of the boat then handed her their shoes and climbed out after her. He gave her a towel before wrapping one around himself. He picked up the piles of clothing and led her back to where their small picnic sat. They still had time before he had to get her back to her office and he planned to use every last minute that he had. "You should eat something." He offered her a plate he'd loaded up with a bit of each item he'd had put in the basket.

"Okay." She took the plate and sat down in the sun her towel wrapped around her and her hair dripping water. She looked stunning still the water had done her good and the small satisfied smile on her lips indicated the water wasn't the only thing she had enjoyed.

InuYasha watched her eat slowly and thought about how much better she looked. She still had the dark circles from lack of sleep and something more but her face lit up when she smiled and that made him feel so much better. When her plate was close to empty and she set her plate down he knew she was finished. "Ready to go change?"

He stood up and gave her a hand. "Yeah, you aren't going to make me change out here are you?" She laughed nervously.

"Heh, well I was going to offer you the bathroom, but if you want to change out here I won't stop you." He smirked and started up the hill to the house.

She followed him making sure to stay close. "I'd like a bathroom if it's all the same to you."

"Well it's not exactly the same, but yes you can have the bathroom." He showed her to the front door and they stepped into the cool air.

"Wow, this place is really nice." Kagome spun around looking at the walls and ceiling.

"There's a bathroom through that door." He pointed her in the right direction. "I'll be back down in a few." He hit the stairs as she walked through the door he'd specified. She changed quickly and then looked at her hair in the mirror. The wind had blown it to an unruly mass that was drying in its natural ringlets. She didn't have a brush so she combed her fingers through it trying to get it to do what she wanted. She finally gave up and gathered her wet clothes wrapping them in the towel. Rin's clothes looked okay on her, though the reds were not exactly the colors she would have picked.

She stepped out of the bathroom and into the large foyer and was met by the house attendant as InuYasha had called him. "Madam, I would take your clothes to be cleaned if you would let me." He reached out to take the towel from her hands.

"Oh, would that be okay?" She handed over the towel and clothes anyway.

"Absolutely madam, I'll have them sent to your office after they are cleaned if that would suit you." He smiled warmly.

"Oh! Do you need my information?" She didn't have her purse so she had nothing to write on or with.

"No madam, I think InuYasha has given me the information I need." He bowed slightly. "Is there anything I can get for you before I go?"

"Your name?" She asked.

"Wilson, you may call me Wilson." He smiled some more witch was a bit unsettling but she returned the smile.

"Thank you Wilson." She shook his free hand and let him go. When she was alone again she turned her attention back to the house. The architecture was beautiful, the colors were perfect, everything was in its place and nothing was too crowded. She followed some pictures down a hall and came to a small sitting room. She felt like she was in one of those old books where a house was so proper and every room had a strict purpose. She was looking for something that resembled InuYasha, a room that she could imagine him using but every room she stepped into was like a page from a Jane Austen book.

"Are you looking for something?" InuYasha's voice startled her and she turned quickly.

"Yes, I was looking for a room I could imagine you using. Why are all these rooms decorated like this? You don't use any of this stuff do you?" She was indicating all the old furniture and antique knickknacks.

"I haven't changed the house since my father died, I don't use any of these rooms I use the upstairs more than anything. I had a dining room set up to my liking upstairs along with my bedroom and a billiards room." He offered his hand. "Would you like to see?"

She took his hand. "You don't have to, I just couldn't imagine you using any of these rooms."

"Well if you'd like the tour we still have some time." He pulled her back to the front entrance.

"Maybe just of the parts of the house that you use." She decided, and he led her up the stairs.

"I don't use this that often, but when Miroku comes over it's what we do." They were in the billiard room; it was designed to look like a machine shop, neon signs hanging, a bar on tap, lots of motorcycle pictures and knickknacks.

"I've never played, but I have watched before, seems easy enough." They didn't stay long and he was already heading to the next room when she looked up.

He stopped outside of the next door. "This is my own personal dining room, I use this almost every night, but I never let Wilson do all the cooking, that's part of the fun." He grinned and took her hand. "Only one more stop."

"Really? Only three rooms in the giant house?" Kagome allowed him to pull her along.

"Yup, I keep everything in this last room." He glanced back at her over his shoulder and then led her into the room at the end of the hall.

"Whoa." It was all she could say as she looked at the giant room, she stepped in to look around. There was a large screen plasma TV on a wall, a large sofa that looked very comfortable across from it several side tables and smaller chairs and then in the far corner of the room a large bed with gold sheets and a black comforter. "You sleep in here?"

He chuckled at her question. "Yeah I do, and I must admit the bed is amazing." He winked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"I bet it is, it looks soft." Kagome wanted to smack herself; she couldn't believe what she was saying. It was obvious what he was hinting at and the fact that she was playing along was bad, very bad. She wasn't allowed to go that far, and leading him to think that she was was just cruel.

"Kagome," He turned her to face him. "What's wrong?"

He must have noticed the look of apprehension on her face. "Oh, n-nothing." She flushed her mind banishing the thoughts that were running around in there.

"Are you sure? Cause I was only teasing you, I didn't mean anything by what I said." He took her hands and got her attention.

"I know, I'm just being stupid, are you ready to go?" She was trying to look away but his eyes were holding hers and he wasn't going to let her go.

"You aren't stupid, and no running away." He reached up and cupped her face in his hands.

"This is a bad idea." Kagome panicked at the way she felt, at how comfortable she felt and she pulled out of his grip and headed for the door. He didn't catch up to her till she was out by the car and he wasn't going to try and change her mind.

"I'm sorry Kagome; I didn't mean to upset you. I'll take you back now." He opened her door for her handing her shoes to her. The car ride was silent. InuYasha was trying to tell what he'd done that had set off the red flag, he hadn't meant anything about the bed comment but maybe she hadn't realized that. He wanted to apologize further but he didn't know what had gone wrong, not exactly anyway.

When they got to her office door she turned to him abruptly. "I'm sorry I freaked out like that, I don't know what's wrong with me, but I just want you to know that I really enjoyed our lunch and thank you for everything." She didn't give him a moment to respond she just pulled him into a short kiss and turned and walked into her office.

He wanted to pull her back out into the hall way and make her repeat that kiss so that this time he'd be prepared to kiss her back but he knew he couldn't. He would just have to be happy with the fact that she wasn't mad at him. And now he was off to set up their date for tomorrow.

* * *

Kagome stepped in the door and looked at the floor. There were post its stuck to the tile in a pell-mell arrangement. "You're making progress I see." She commented happily as she went to her desk. She checked the pocket of her lab coat searching for her phone but it wasn't there. She frowned and sat down checking the drawers of her desk.

"Yeah I think we're going to need a little more room." Sango got up with another set of post its and put them in their places on the floor.

"Well feel free to use my side of the room if you need it." Kagome offered still searching her desk.

"Heh yeah we may have to." Miroku followed Sango with his own set of post its.

"So how was lunch?" Sango finally looked up at her and frowned at her momentarily Kagome assumed she realized her change in outfit.

"It was nice, we went swimming." Kagome stopped at that she didn't want to share the information about the kiss, not with Miroku in the room who would likely report on this conversation to InuYasha.

"I was wondering why you had changed, you look amazing by the way." Miroku gave her a small wink being careful not to upset Sango.

"They're Rin's, I'm not sure they are something I would wear again." Kagome confessed still not liking the red.

"Well nonetheless red looks dazzling on you." Miroku eyed her politely he was actually doing really good about keeping himself out of trouble, Kagome wondered just how much he liked Sango.

"He's right." Sango confirmed.

"Well thanks, so have you solved the mystery of the freaky Friday rats?" Kagome asked giving up on finding her cell phone, it would surface eventually.

"I don't think rats were good test subjects. I've come to find out that rats don't have alpha males. It'd be better to test on dogs but I don't like the idea so I picked out one rat and we're tailoring it to his DNA spec's so they should all take on those traits." Sango explained.

"Sounds easy enough." Kagome shrugged.

"Should be, I hope, but I'm still working with my original alteration because of what you said. I was wondering if it was like the freaky Friday happenings. I was wondering if it really was the rats switching bodies so I'm going to keep working on that as well and maybe figure it out for sure." Sango's face lit up with excitement for her plans. Kagome was glad she had something to distract her.

"You'll figure it out I'm sure, and as long as you aren't testing it on me I won't stop you." Kagome smiled.

"Don't worry its years away from being tested on human subjects." Miroku assured her with a smirk that reminded Kagome of InuYasha.

"Good." Kagome smiled and returned to her paper work. The hours passed by way too fast and as she was walking out the door she realized she'd never found her cell phone. She wondered if she'd dropped it somewhere between the bathroom and the warehouse but she just couldn't remember.

She got in her car and drove over to Koga's house she knew he was home because he had the day off. That would also explain the reason he'd had time to go see Sesshomaru. When she got there she let herself in and found Koga on the couch watching tv. "We need to talk..."

Koga didn't even say hi or smile and she hadn't expected him to, he just lifted the remote and turned off the tv. "He told you didn't he?"

"Damn straight he did, why did you go behind my back like that?" She moved over to the couch but didn't sit down.

"I had questions and I knew he could answer them." Koga offered with a shrug.

"Why didn't you ask me?" Kagome sat down on the small table across from Koga their knees brushed and she reached out to take his hand. She didn't understand why he hadn't just come to her with his questions.

"I didn't want to upset you." He frowned at her hand in his.

"So what is your plan then? Are you going to ask me to marry you?" Kagome was frustrated but she didn't like yelling at her best friend.

His head snapped up and he met her eyes. "Hold up, who the hell said I was going to ask you that?"

"Well, no one exactly. Sesshomaru said if I were married my spouse would be allowed to go with me, and I just thought he mentioned it because that was what you went to ask him." Kagome fumbled over her explanation not liking the look on his face.

"That's not why I went to talk to him Kagome. I would never make you do that, I know you wouldn't marry me just to get out of this isolation." Koga squeezed her fingers to reassure her.

"Actually," Kagome paused trying to gather some courage. "It seems like a good idea to me. Maybe we should do it."

"Wait, what?" Koga let go of her hand and stood up.

"If you don't want to that's fine, just forget I said anything about it, I just thought well maybe if you could come with me I wouldn't have to be totally alone..." Kagome watched him pace to and from the kitchen as she spoke.

"I'll do it, as long as you're sure it's what you want." Koga moved back over to her and sat in front of her again to give her reassurance.

"Are you sure it won't be awkward for you or anything like that?" Kagome looked deep into his eyes to make sure he wasn't going to lie to her.

"Not with you it won't." He smiled in a way she'd never seen him smile before and she wondered what it meant.

She stored away the memory for later analysis and grinned at him foolishly. "Thank you so much!" She pulled him in to a big hug feeling safe and worry free for the first time in weeks.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" He wrapped his arms around her even though he wanted to see it on her face that she was certain this was what she wanted.

"I don't have a choice, and since it's you I'm definitely sure." Kagome only felt one momentary twinge of guilt as she thought of that kiss she'd laid on InuYasha earlier today. She was getting too attached to him.

"As long as you're sure." Koga said at last and now it was settled.

End Chapter

AN: Didn't see that one coming did you? Hope you liked reading it as much as I enjoyed typing it, review please! Things will remain simple and happy for two more chapter! And then i get to have lots of fun making a mess! =] So enjoy the fluff while it lasts!

Spoiler Chapter Ten Aquamarine

InuYasha's idea of a good time always leads them somewhere interesting, today it'll be an underwater adventure only getting wet isn't part of the plan.


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